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Bernie Sanders’ mittens, memes help raise $1.8 million for charity

Bernie Sanders’ mittens, memes help raise $1.8 million for charity

A crocheted doll of Sanders in his garb was auctioned off online for $20,300!
28 Jan, 2021

About those wooly mittens that US Senator Bernie Sanders wore to the presidential inauguration, sparking endless quirky memes across social media? They’ve helped to raise $1.8 million in the last five days for charitable organisations in Sanders’ home state of Vermont, the independent senator has announced.

The sum comes from the sale of merchandise with the January 20 image of him sitting with his arms and legs crossed, clad in his brown parka and recycled wool mittens.

Sanders put the first of the so-called “Chairman Sanders” merchandise, including T-shirts, sweatshirts and stickers, on his campaign website last Thursday and the first run sold out in less than 30 minutes, he said. More merchandise was added over the weekend and sold out by Monday morning, he said.

A photo posted by Instagram (@instagram) on

“Jane and I were amazed by all the creativity shown by so many people over the last week, and we’re glad we can use my internet fame to help Vermonters in need,” Sanders said in a written statement. “But even this amount of money is no substitute for action by Congress, and I will be doing everything I can in Washington to make sure working people in Vermont and across the country get the relief they need in the middle of the worst crisis we’ve faced since the Great Depression.”

Sanders’ mittens were made by Jen Ellis, a Vermont elementary school teacher who has a side business making mittens out of recycled wool. His inauguration look, also featuring the winter jacket made by Burton Snowboards, sparked countless memes from the photo taken by Agence France-Presse: the former presidential candidate could be found on social media timelines taking a seat on the subway, the moon and with the cast of Friends as well as Sex and the City among other creative locales.

A photo posted by Instagram (@instagram) on

Ellis said on social media over the weekend that Sanders called to tell her that “the mitten frenzy” had raised an enormous amount of money for Vermont charities although she was not authorised to disclose the amount, yet.

“But it’s BIG and it’s amazing! Thank you!! Generosity brings joy,” she tweeted.

She also said she made three more pairs of mittens and donated them for fundraising to Passion 4 Paws Vermont, Outright Vermont, and would be auctioning off a pair on eBay for her daughter’s college fund.

The groups that will benefit from the proceeds of the “Chairman Sanders” items include Area Agencies on Aging to fund Meals on Wheels throughout Vermont, Vermont community action agencies, Feeding Chittenden, Chill Foundation, senior centres in Vermont and Bi-State Primary Care for dental care improvements in the state, Sanders’ office said.

Sander’ attire has also sparked other charitable endeavours. A crocheted doll of Sanders in his garb was auctioned off online for $20,300 and Burton Snowboards donated 50 jackets to the Burlington Department for Children and Families in Sanders’ name, his office said.

A photo posted by Instagram (@instagram) on

Getty Images confirmed that it will donate its proceeds as part of the licensing agreement to put the photo on the merchandise to Meals on Wheels of America.

Comments

Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Jan 28, 2021 02:18pm
Sights and sounds of the biggest bastion of capitalism and capitalistic society in the world.
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NYS Jan 28, 2021 03:12pm
Memes with great themes Crocheted doll of Sanders appealing though
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LgbtqX Jan 28, 2021 06:08pm
Crazy bernie.
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candy Jan 30, 2021 06:14am
It's nice to know that someone can take criticism and turn it into a good cause. Bernie didn't accuse anyone of being a traitor or other nonsense - he just brushed off the criticism and turned it into money for charity . Wish we had politicians who could do the same.
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