It was produced by the local Buffalo PBS station originally. I have no idea if they're involved in this at all.

I'm about a decade older than Eddie (bridging the gap between him and Trey), so my only exposure to the show was knowing the funding was partly local (WNED Buffalo). While I was into Sesame Street as a toddler and both my parents were teachers, I still remember the moment when I actually UNDERSTOOD reading. They had been having us go through "Sam I Am" books in Kindergarden. I was doing well, I assume, but my mind didn't connect it to anything. Then, one night, I got up out of bed, turned on the light, and got a Winnie The Pooh picture book off my bookshelf. I opened it... and I understood the words! They had meaning! For the FIRST time, everything my brain had been taking in worked together and provided understanding. I could open a book, alone, and have the story told to me by the printed words!

Life was never the same.