Michelle Obama donates to Toys for Tots

"Military families are what inspires my work," Mrs. Obama said Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling.

She along with Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, started the Joining Forces campaign in 2011 to honor and support military families.

Mrs. Obama said the annual toy drive— which was started by a Marine reservist and his wife— is just one example of how military families go the extra mile to serve their communities and country. The first lady said military families, who face hardships, struggles and constant deployment, are always first to step up and volunteer.

"Somehow you're always the ones who find the extra hours in the day to give back, above and beyond what life has thrown your way anyway," she said.

Mrs. Obama wished volunteers and service members at the military base "Happy Holidays" as she helped sort unwrapped toys into bins marked for boy and girls by different age groups.

She noted that most toy drives are often short on gifts for older children.

"A lot of times when we do the shopping we like to reach for the cute little bear or the little doll, but the truth is that they also need gifts for older kids as well," she said.