Dr Jill Biden assembles Christmas care packages for troops in first appearance since op-ed row

Your support helps us to tell the story

Support Now

Find out moreClose

As your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.

Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn't have the resources to challenge those in power.

Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November election

Andrew Feinberg

White House Correspondent

Doctor Jill Biden made her first in-person solo-appearance since President-elect Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 election, putting together care packages for US troops who will be overseas for the holidays.

On Thursday, Dr Biden assisted Operation Gratitude in Washington, DC, wearing a mask and gloves while filling up care packages with a variety of items to help boost troops over the holidays.

A small group of volunteers is working together throughout the week in DC to assemble 2,500 individually addressed care packages to be sent overseas, according to ABC 7.

“Today is part of a multi-day effort in DC and Los Angeles to pack a total of 20,000 packages,” Danielle Tenconi, Vice President of marketing and communications for Operation Gratitude, told PEOPLE in a statement.

“Each package contains snacks, candy, 10 handwritten letters of gratitude and hand-knitted scarfs from more than one million volunteers nationwide."

Dr Biden was joined by retired general Lloyd Austin, who was recently nominated by Mr Biden to take up the position of secretary of defense under his new administration.

"Jill Biden and retired general Lloyd Austin help assemble care packages for deployed troops in Washington, DC, Operation Gratitude posted on Twitter alongside the hashtag #ActionsSpeakLouder.

The military has long been at the center of the future first lady’s work, and prior to Mr Biden’s win the doctor and the “military mom” said she would focus on military families as one of her top priorities.

Michelle Obama and Dr Biden worked together in 2011 on Joining Forces, a programme aimed at offering support for service members, veterans, and their families.

During the visit, Dr Biden is said to have called on “all Americans to commit to an act of kindness” and Operation Gratitude urged citizens to share a video or message to those overseas through their website.

“In the spirit of gratitude and holidays, Thank You!!” Operation Gratitude wrote on Twitter following the visit. “Our Military & First Responder Heroes appreciate your support.”

Elsewhere in DC, Ivanka Trump has also been seen undertaking charitable work, handing out food boxes to families in need alongside Mr Trump’s controversial personal pastor Paula White.

“Our Farmers to Families Food Box program continues to feed billions of meals to families in need across the Nation - over 3.2B to date!,” Ms Trump posted on Twitter.

“Grateful to spend the morning this Holiday Season in VA passing out boxes loaded with fresh & nutritious food sourced from local farms.”