Bernie Sanders was all the buzz after Inauguration Day on January 20. Even though Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were sworn in as president and vice president, Vermont Governor Bernie Sanders made headlines when he made an appearance bundled up in winter apparel tightly huddled on a chair, and it blew up all over the internet. 

Bernie’s infamous attire included brown mittens that were made for him by recycled sweaters. A local teacher named Jen Ellis made them, and they stole the show. They were made for him as a sign of appreciation. According to The Washington Post, “As a public school teacher, I can see how what he says about school debt forgiveness and free education and a lot of things he talks about in his policies make sense for people,” Ellis said. 

Brendan Smialowski was the photographer who took the photo that caused many to take Bernie and place him in fun places all over the world.

             “I am genuinely enjoying the fact that people are having a lighthearted moment from a political moment,” Smialowski said, according to the Chicago Tribune.

However, this meme is now turning into something bigger and better than just a meme.  Bernie’s campaign has placed the image on shirts and called it “Chairman Sanders,” selling them on his website raising money for different charities in Vermont such as Meals on Wheels and Feeding Chittenden. So far they have raised almost $2 million. 

“We are blown away by the support for our meals on wheels program by @SenSanders,” said Age Well Vermont on Twitter. The charities benefited by this were delighted to receive such donations. And overall Bernie and his wife were pleased with the outcome of this event. 

According to the New York Times, “Jane and I were amazed by all the creativity shown by so many people over the last week,” Bernie Sanders said. “We’re glad we can use my internet fame to help Vermonters in need.” 

He continues on to confront Congress in another 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 said.