President-elect Pool Reports of January 18, 2021

Transition Pool Report #1: Good Morning

COVID-tested and our temperatures taken, the pool is now holding near the Biden's Wilmington residence.

Good morning.

President-elect Biden announced additional administration posts in a press release earlier this morning.

And per the daily guidance, he and Dr. Biden are slated to celebrate the National Day of Service by volunteering in Philadelphia.

Transition pool report #2: Rolling

The motorcade is now rolling.

Transition Pool Report #3: Food Bank

The motorcade arrived at Philabundance, Philly's largest hunger relief organization, shortly before 11:00AM.

The president-elect was spotted posing for selfies outside of the building with (masked) supporters before the event began.Biden, who is also wearing a mask along with his trademark aviators, is sporting a green Philabundance ball cap and now standing along a conveyor belt set up in the outside parking lot.

He is placing canned goods, two at a time, in each food box. Nearby, Dr. Biden adds packages of rice. Disco plays over loudspeakers.

The event is ongoing.

Transition Pool Report #4: Back on Bus

The president-elect was still working the assembly line, loading cans into food boxes, when the wranglers began herding press back to the pool a few minutes ago.

He did not answer shouted questions. He was a good distance away.

The Office of President-elect Biden passes along the following:

National Day of Service

On Monday, January 18, President-elect Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden will spend the National Day of Service volunteering at Philabundance in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

About Philabundance:

Philabundance was founded in 1984 with a mission is to drive hunger from communities today and to end hunger for good. In addition to food distribution, they strive to reduce food waste, increase accessibility to nutritious meals, and tackle the root causes of hunger through programs such as the Philabundance Community Kitchen a 16-week culinary vocational training program for women and men with low-to-no income.

Philabundance provides food to thousands of people each week through a network of over 350 agency partners – food pantries, cupboards, and emergency kitchens – over a nine-county service area in Pennsylvania (Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia counties) and New Jersey (Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Salem counties).

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Philabundance served approximately 90,000 people per week, 30 percent of whom were children and 16 percent were seniors. Since the pandemic began they have seen up to a 60 percent increase in need, with 40 percent of those people accessing the charitable food network for the first time. From March through December 2020, Philabundance served about 192,991 people weekly through a network of 350 partner agencies, including food pantries, shelters, emergency kitchens, community centers, hospitals, libraries and schools.

The food Philabundance distributes comes from three sources: donations, government, and purchased product. Donations come from a variety of sources, including grocery stores, retailers (like Starbucks), the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market and the Port of Philadelphia. The primary sources of government support over the last year have been the USDA Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) and The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP).Background on the Day of Service

On January 18, 2021, thousands of volunteers across the country will participate in the National Day of Service - an opportunity for all Americans to unite and serve at a time when the global pandemic calls on us to work together and support our communities. The PIC, working closely with AmeriCorps and local, state, and national service partners, has organized more than 2,500 events in all 56 states and territories. The PIC has already surpassed the 2013 Inaugural Committee's number of 1 million service hours committed.

The day will culminate in an hour-long virtual live-stream celebration that will feature a diverse array of entertainers, speakers, and stories of service celebrating the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and the Biden-Harris Administration's commitment to service.

In 1994, Congress passed legislation designating the Martin Luther King Holiday as a national day of volunteer service – "a day on, not a day off." Since then, AmeriCorps – the federal agency for service and volunteerism – has led this national effort to engage Americans in honoring Dr. King's legacy through service on MLK Day. Throughout the year, AmeriCorps provides opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to strengthen their communities through service.

In 2009, then President-elect Obama called on all Americans to join the National Day of Service as part of the Presidential Inaugural Committee's activities. The PIC set up a volunteer website and organized events across the country. President-elect Obama and the First Lady participated in a painting and restoration project at the Sasha Bruce House, an emergency shelter for homeless teens in Washington, DC. Vice President-elect Joe Biden worked with Habitat for Humanity alongside approximately 50 AmeriCorps volunteers, firefighters, police officers, and other participants to help build homes for families in need in Northeast Washington, D.C.

In 2013, the PIC participated in the National Day of Service again by hosting a service fair in Washington, DC, and organizing events across the country. In 2013, President Obama and the First Lady participated in a painting and furniture staining project at Burrville Elementary School in NE DC. Vice President Biden and his family joined volunteers at the D.C. Armory to box supplies for troops overseas, veterans, and first responders.

Philabundance Volunteers:

• Loree D. Jones, CEO, Philabundance

• Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, CEO, Feeding America

• Jane Clements-Smith, Executive Director, Feeding Pennsylvania

• Miguel Diaz, Philabundance Agency Representative

• Howard William, Philabundance volunteer

• Desiree' La Marr-Murphy, Philabundance Agency Representative

• Litty Paolone, Philabundance volunteer

• Don Taylor, Philabundance volunteer

• Roopa Seshadri, Philabundance volunteer

• John Holloway, Board Chair, Philabundance

• Dixianne James, Vice Chair, Philabundance

Transition Pool Report #5: Rolling to Queen

We are rolling once again, this time to the Queen in Wilmington.

Over 150 food boxes, an aide says, were packed at the Philabundance event.

Transition Pool Report #6: Arrival at the Queen

The motorcade arrived a few minutes ago. The president-elect, however, was not seen entering the building. The pool is seated inside.

Transition Pool Report #7: Departure

The president-elect emerged from the Queen and entered the motorcade moments ago.

When asked how preparation of his inaugural speech was coming along, it sounded like Biden, who was a good distance away and was wearing a mask, said "good."

Motorcade is now rolling.

Transition Pool Report #8: Lid

The motorcade arrived at the Biden family residence at 2:37pm. Shortly after, the Biden transition announced a lid.