Mother’s Day, coming up this Sunday, looks a little different this year for many people while we are social distancing, keeping us from the normal festive activities such as going out to brunch with the family to celebrate. But there are still plenty of ways to make this year’s Mother’s Day special in the comfort of your own home.

In previous years, Mother’s Day gifts seemed simpler. They could be as easy as taking mom out to a Sunday brunch and surprising her with a thoughtful handwritten card paired with a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers. This year, as many of us around the world continue to stay home because of COVID-19, celebrating Mother’s Day may look a little different.

At-home date ideas used to be an inventive way to spice things up and break away from the familiar going-out tur of dinner and a movie. Now that the world is changing, many are staying in out of necessity and might be falling into a rut at the house, too. How can we spin new life into our stay-at-home dates?

In early April, Mike and Valerie Thompson, the founders of the Chi Chi Miguel Throwdown, along with the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Chi Chi Miguel Weekend in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. For 13 years, the Chi Chi events have supported charities along the Gulf Coast, including the Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center.

It’s easy sometimes to fall into a negative mood, especially today as we deal with stress and the trials and tribulations that come with the coronavirus pandemic. Watching or listening to a feel-good podcast or YouTube video can help boost our spirits! We love TED Talks because they not only get us thinking but also can put certain subjects into perspectives we might not have considered before.

Every kid has said at least once that they want to be an astronaut when they grow up. Now they can get some firsthand knowledge! The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is doing virtual lessons on everything you want to know about space, and what’s better than pairing fun with education for kids of all ages?

Everyone is doing what they can in these hard times to stay upbeat. Having something funny to lift the spirits is essential for our mental health! Luckily, celebrities and people all over the world are coming together on social media and sharing more than just selfies or pictures of their morning avocado toast.

As we enter another week of working remotely and social distancing, our to-do list of things to fill our time in quarantine seems to be getting shorter. To help us get through these strange times and to dissipate the disheartening news flooding our phones and televisions, our staff has curated their favorite books that have helped them get through COVID-19.

“Back in the day,” (AKA, before COVID-19) there were many ways to get alcohol—liquor stores, grocery stores, gifts from friends, bars, and restaurants. But opportunities to browse the aisles in stores or to go grab a drink with a friend have temporarily been disrupted due to the current international crisis, and we’re falling back to plan B on how to enjoy a drink without leaving the comfort of our homes.

Santa Rosa Beach, Fla – Children’s Volunteer Health Network (CVHN) recently accepted a grant totaling $35,000 from the Helping Hands Foundation of the All In Credit Union. These funds will go towards a second mobile dental unit to focus on restorative dental care in the Okaloosa and Walton Counties.

Now that we’ve been WFH and many people have been in quarantine for over a month now, it is very easy to start feeling down or anxious. As we are all struggling with being cooped up and the uncertainty of what is to come, we often try to search for something that makes us feel better.

To try and relieve some stress from parents during these uncertain times, many A-list celebrities are livestreaming bedtime stories as part of the Save with Stories initiative, founded by Jennifer Garner and Amy Adams.