Residents of the Vauxcleuse neighborhood live close to Inova Alexandria Hospital. They wanted to show their support for the health care providers and staff during the COVID-19 crisis. As one resident served on the board of the hospital’s foundation and another was a chef and restaurant owner, they quickly made a plan and put it into action.
Kinship restaurant owner Eric Ziebold, top left, his daughter Adele, center, and Celia Laurent, top right, are joined by fellow Vauxcleuse neighborhood residents John Allen and Laurie Drysdale
Eric Ziebold, chef and owner of D.C.’s Kinship Restaurant said, "The hospital is one of our neighbors and an email went out asking what we can do to support them. The decision was made to raise some money to put together a grocery basket for them. Since the hospital has stipulated that any prepared food has to come from a restaurant and not a home kitchen, we are able to use Kinship and wholesale pricing to buy supplies and make some prepared meals."
According to the Alexandria Gazette Packet, "Another neighbor, Janet Hawkins, serves on the hospital’s foundation board and was able to relay any hospital needs to the residents. In addition to the snack bags, neighbors put up signs outside the hospital to let staff and passersby know how much those working there are appreciated."
