Lives Impacted: Meet Sonny and Anita Bloom
A meaningful connection inspires lasting generosity
When Sonny and Anita Bloom attended The Inn’s An Evening for Hope gala as guests in 2022, they had no idea that one special evening would mark the beginning of a profound commitment to The Children’s Inn at NIH.
Their introduction to The Inn came through a dear friend and Inn Board Member, Prachee Devadas, who had invited them to the annual gala. The Blooms had known Prachee since Sonny hired her shortly after her graduation from college, and remained close over the years. That night, the Blooms won a vacation through the silent auction—a generous commitment in itself. But after learning about The Inn’s mission and the families it serves, they knew they wanted to do much more.
“It was a perfect storm of things coming together,” Sonny remembered. “[Prachee] got us involved at the gala and participating that way, and I don’t know how anyone could not see what they could do to help once they knew about The Inn.”
After the gala Devadas put the Blooms in touch with Liza Cole, The Inn’s Senior Director of Leadership & Legacy Giving. Through Cole, Sonny and Anita became members of The Innkeeper’s Society by including The Inn in their estate planning.
“We wanted to do something more substantial,” he explained. “We’ve made some donations each year, but in our estates, we have a charitable fund that’s already funded. We’ve designated [several] charities that we’re familiar with that we wanted funds earmarked for, and one of those now is The Children’s Inn.”
Though their association with The Inn spans just a few years, their commitment runs deep and will continue supporting families long into the future.
Bringing Others Along
Sonny and Anita didn’t keep their passion for The Inn to themselves. As members of the Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, MD, they were already deeply involved with Woodmont Cares, a member-led organization committed to using the club’s reputation and resources to assist causes near and dear to those members’ hearts. Sonny championed The Inn regularly at Woodmont Cares meetings and helped organize club involvement at The Inn.
“Every year, there is typically at least one evening where members of the club would provide dinner onsite for families at The Inn,” he explained. “Many members were not aware of the extent of The Inn’s support to the families whose children were treated at NIH. From our exposure to The Inn, thanks to Prachee and Liza, we could share the depth of The Inn’s role to families often over several years.”
Through visits to The Inn, Sonny and Anita have had a chance to meet some of the families whose lives have been touched by the generosity of donors like themselves. They were captivated by the warmth and positivity shown to them by families facing unimaginable challenges which only deepened their resolve to continuing their support of The Inn, and inspiring others to do the same just as Devadas has done for them.
“There’s no substitute for going there to really understand the whole array of what’s involved inside The Inn,” he noted. “It’s not just that our contribution is helping pay for medical treatment. You really get an appreciation for the caring for the entire family and how long that relationship is provided for.”
The Blooms’ journey with The Children’s Inn exemplifies how one meaningful connection can blossom into lasting impact—not just through their own generous support, but through the countless others they’ve inspired to join them in supporting families when they need it most.
