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McLean, VIRGINIA - NOVEMBER 08: U.S. First Lady Dr. Jill Biden delivers remarks at the Franklin Sherman Elementary School on November 08, 2021 in McLean, Virginia. Dr. Biden visited the school with U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy to help promote COVID-19 vaccinations efforts for kids aged 5-11.
First Lady Jill Biden will host an event at the White House to honor military caregiving families that put their health and well-being at risk while tending to their loved ones.
According to reports, Wednesday's event will also feature former North Carolina Sen. Elizabeth Dole, the founder of the Elizabeth Dole Foundation.
Biden and Dole have been advocating for military caregiving families through various initiatives. In 2011, the FLOTUS launched Joining Forces alongside Michelle Obama.
On the other hand, Dole is directly involved with Hidden Helpers, an initiative that helps those that care for wounded or ill veterans or servicemen.
The vice president's office confirmed that Biden would unveil public and private-sector commitments to support Hidden Helpers at Wednesday's event.
Joining Forces executive director releases statement
Rory Brosius, the executive director of Joining Forces, released a statement regarding this week's event.
"Today's White House event is about those 'Hidden Helpers,' bringing them out of the shadows, telling their stories, and pledging to do everything we can to support them. It's exactly what Joining Forces is about -- fulfilling our sacred obligation to those who serve and the families who serve alongside them," Brosius said via CNN.
Children living with disabled veterans suffer
A recent study conducted by Hidden Helper, Joining Forces, the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, and the Wounded Warriors Project revealed that millions of Americans under the age of 18 live with veterans that have disabilities.
Due to this setup, many of the kids experience disruption in their day-to-day lives. They also get lost in their family's response to their disabled loved ones.
As a result, children living with disabled veterans and servicemen tend to suffer mentally, physically, emotionally, and psychologically.
Jill Biden passionate about helping military caregiving families
Biden's passion for helping veterans and servicemen may have to do with her growing up in a military caregiving household. Her dad was a Navy Signalman during World War II.
Biden's late stepson, Beau, also served with the Delaware Army National Guard.
Earlier this year, the FLOTUS said she witnessed how Beau's children dealt with his deployment while stationed in Iraq.
At the time, Biden also revealed the next phase of her Joining Forces Initiative and said that they would make sure to provide the support that all military families need.
According to People, the first lady also revealed that the pre-pandemic unemployment rate for military spouses was already at 22 percent. And the figures increased because of COVID-19.
As such, Biden vowed to provide military caregiving families with better work opportunities. And she also promised to give children in military caregiving families better education and opportunities.
Other than Joining Forces, Biden also launched the Biden Breast Health Initiative, as well as the Biden Cancer Initiative with the help of her husband, according to her White House profile.
Related Article: Jill Biden Heads Nationwide Effort To Encourage COVID-19 Vaccinations Among Children Following CDC's Approval of Pfizer-BioNTech Jab
