By Cody Mello-Klein | cmelloklein@alextimes.com
The Twig, an all women-led organization that provides financial aid, volunteer service and support to Inova Alexandria Hospital, gave $100,000 to the Inova COVID-19 Emergency Preparedness Fund on Friday.
As the junior auxiliary of Inova Alexandria, the Twig has had a decades-spanning relationship with the hospital. But with the COVID-19 pandemic putting pressure on Inova, the board of the Twig knew this year’s fundraising and support efforts would mean even more.
“By and large, we do the same things every year. We have our thrift shop, we have a historic homes tour, we raise hundreds of thousands of dollars and we pass it on to a big pledge to the hospital. But this was different this year,” Candace Beane, the Twig’s president elect, said. “Having this crisis hit our community so close to home, it was really throw everything to the wind [to see] what can we do right now.”
Inova President and CEO Dr. J. Stephen Jones and Inova Alexandria Chief Medical Officer Rina Bansal expressed their gratitude to the Twig for its efforts during this public health crisis.
In addition to the pledge, the Twig has held special events to support the hospital, including one for Mother’s Day. Members donated chocolate cakes to new mothers that weren’t able to have visitor’s due to restrictions at the hospital during the pandemic.
“I think that Twig and Alexandria Hospital have such a longstanding, deep relationship. We thank you for your financial generosity, but really I thank you for your emotional support for out team through this crisis and it really has meant a lot,” Bansal said.
