The woman behind the attention-grabbing mittens worn by Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders at the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris earlier this month announced she was auctioning off a few pairs for various charities based in Vermont.
Second grade teacher Jen Ellis received a number of requests for her hand-knitted mittens in wake of the meme that swept the country featuring Sanders sitting in a folding chair with his legs crossed and those stylish gloves positioned prominently.
Since Ellis wasn't going to be able to fulfill the overwhelming demand for her mittens, she decided to auction off three pairs, with the proceeds going to the dog rescue organization Passion 4 Paws and Outright Vermont for LGBTQ+ youth, while the other would go towards her daughter's college fund.
With bidding set to end soon, the mittens that closely resemble the ones given to Bernie while on the campaign trail have a leading bid of over $7,000. That money will go to Outright Vermont. The gloves meant for Passion 4 Paws are nearing $4,000, and the ones going towards her daughter's college fund have eclipsed the $6,000 mark.
Bernie's team helped raise an estimated $1.8 million for charities in Vermont with the launch of merch featuring the Senator's infamous pose. While Sanders happy to use his moment of Internet fame to help those in need, he isn't allowing himself to get distracted by the important issues impacting everyday Americans.
As Senate Budget Committee Chair, Bernie will push to get Biden's COVID relief plan approved, which includes another stimulus check of $1,400. His plan also includes raising the minimum wage to $15 by 2025.
