Our “Good News” begins with sunshine and warm temperatures on a Friday!  The weekend is here and we’re putting health and fitness on top of the agenda! Social distancing --  especially on grey and cold days -- can lead to sedentary practices and disheartened spirits. We need the opposite to be true!  

People who incorporate exercise and physical activities into their daily life are healthier AND happier. This Spring, Ambassadors and Alumni aren’t in their usual routines like team sports, physical education classes, group fitness, and visits to the gym. But, there are countless resources that can motivate, teach, and engage 

First up, some important perspective. The Center for Disease Control recommends that pre-school aged children get activity throughout the day, and youth ages 6 -- 17 commit to 60 minutes or more of physical activity. The American Council on Exercise offers some pro tips:  

• Partner up! And, turn your living room or back yard into your fitness playground.

• Keep it social. Schedule video workouts with a friend or family member -- stay in touch and get fit simultaneously!

• Start a new habit. Use this time to learn a new sport, skill, or activity. Start slow, build a foundation, and grow from there. 

• Have fun! Laugh, dance, enjoy...just move!

 Across town and around the world, fitness instructors, gyms, and wellness organizations want to ensure we reap the mental, emotional and physical benefits of physical activity.  They’ve “gone virtual” with creative solutions to keeping us moving while we’re at home. We thank these wellness leaders for their passion, generosity, and expertise!

1. When Salt Shack Crossfit of Hanover had to close their doors, they opened their hearts. Taking care for their clients to the next level. They distributed their equipment to members for at-home workouts, post online classes, and offer nutrition encouragement, too. And through it all, stay true to their motto:  “Focus on what you can do, rather than what you can’t do!”  

2. Leaping the Atlantic to Spain, we’re inspired by the passion of Trainer Gonzalo of Sano Sevilla Los Bermejales, who broadcast his mission for fitness from his apartment’s roof deck. Trainer invites those on neighboring roof decks and balconies to join him for sessions of jumping jacks, squats, and cardio -- all while providing motivational encouragement. According to Gonzalo, "No matter how adverse the circumstances are, we’re going to make the best of it." Watch the video here.

3. The YMCA has been at the heart of our communities for over a century, so it's no surprise that in a time of crisis, the Y inspires! One of their core beliefs is, “When we are safer together, we are stronger together.” In response to COVID-19, the YMCA of Greater Boston launched “Stronger Together” -- an online hub of free workout videos hosted by certified Y trainers. From yoga to cardio to strength and conditioning, it’s all here: https://ymcaboston.org/stronger-together

4. Strong bodies, strong minds, strong spirits. A focus on mental health is critically important during this time of uncertainty, dislocation, and new norms. Headspace, a meditation app and website, provides compassionate guidance for meditation, sleep, and movements through a free series titled “weathering the storm”: https://www.headspace.com/covid-19

So, carpe diem! Seize the day! Embrace the sunshine and walk, run, bike, or move in any way that brings you joy!  

“If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with him…

 the people who give you their food give you their heart.” 

~ Cesar Chavez

The abundance of yesterday’s #351GratitudeMoment spills into today, as we continue to recognize and celebrate the generosity, support, and community forged by the restaurant industry. Our local restaurants are the keeper of their community’s stories and memories. They’re a welcome mat for family celebrations and the backdrop to life’s milestones. 

So when our communities can no longer gather at these cherished places, it’s heartbreaking for the restaurants, their teams, and the customers they serve. But, instead of receding into the background and despite overwhelming economic challenge, this amazing industry continues to lead.

Today’s “Good News” shares a few more of countless stories of how they have adapted their models to meet critical need, give hope, and do what they do best -- nourish our communities. We share them with our gratitude, admiration, and care and support

1. In Wilmington, EJ's Pizza, LaRosa's Restaurant, and Tremezzo Pizzeria are providing free meals for seniors, children, and those “who may need a meal”. As WBZ-TV reported, Tanya Graves, a customer at EJ’s, is leading the effort by recruiting volunteers through social media to deliver and underwrite meals.  She said: “We’re taught to love our neighbors...and this is what our neighbors need right now!”

2. Chef Chris Coombs, co-owner of Deuxave, dBar, and two Boston Chops steakhouse, emphasizes care for his 230 staff members. Upon closure of his restaurants, he distributed $100,000 worth of perishable food to members of his team.

3. In Everett, Short Path Distillery is one of several distilleries, now bottling homemade hand sanitizer — repurposing alcohol typically reserved for rums, gins and whiskeys for the production of hand sanitizer.  Short Path co-founder Zachary Robinson said. “There was just a feeling of helplessness for a while there, so it feels good to have a purpose.”

4. In New York City, Luca Di Pietro, the owner of Tarallucci e Vino, is providing hundreds of daily meals for hospital workers. Through his website Feed the Frontlines, Di Petro has raised close to $80,000 for his mission and recruited other restaurants to join his cause. His mission is two-fold -- keeping his staff employed while giving thanks to heroes on the frontline of healthcare.

5. In Philadelphia, Cole Berman and five friends had the same mission -- creating Fuel the Fight to raise funds to support local restaurants and hospital workers. Through their efforts, South Philly Barbacoa, Bad Brother and Mike’s BBQ now prepares meals for teams at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital, Jefferson, Bryn Mawr, Paoli and Christiana Hospitals. Ben Miller, owner of South Philly Barbacoa, said, “It’s helping us maintain some staff and some income as these times are so devastating. We’re going to be back in the kitchen putting the love in the foods to give people some more fuel.”

6. In Ohio, vendors are leading, too. Premiere ProduceOne, which normally distributes to restaurants, universities, and hospitals, opened three warehouses to restaurant and hospitality workers so they could shop from thousands of pounds of fresh ingredients. "We just wanted to give back to our community. We're not charging for anything," said co-owner Tony Anselmo."We have a lot of lettuces, broccoli florets, red peppers, yellow peppers, bok choy, romaine.” The leftover food also made a difference, as donations to shelters and food banks across the state. 

Massachusetts restaurants will be closed until at least April 6th, except for those who can offer delivery and takeout services. Eater Boston has become a hub of information, resources, and ideas for supporting industry workers and restaurants. These include:

If you have the means:

• Order takeout from participating restaurants. 

• Buy gift cards for future use.

• Call your local hospital, nursing home, fire or police station, and see if you can order takeout for staff.

• Purchase merchandise from your favorite spot and wear it with pride!

Acts of kindness we can all do:

• Send a letter of gratitude and support to a favorite restaurant or individual staff member.

• Provide kindness and care for and support for affected family and friends who work in the industry.

“Art is about changing what we see in our everyday lives and representing it in such a way that it gives us hope.”
~ Kehinde Wiley, Nigerian-American portrait artist, including the Presidential portrait of Barack Obama

We kick off this week’s Good News celebrating the arts! Art brings beauty, meaning, and purpose. Whether on a canvas, in a concert hall, through our air pods, or at a dance party in our living rooms...the arts connect us through a common language and shared experience.

Increasingly, we may feel the confines of the four walls of our home. Embrace the arts and travel the world! The arts transport you to unknown lands and unseen places, touch your heart and move your spirit, build cultural understanding and enrichment, spark curiosity and feed your soul.

Around the world, artists, organizations, and cultural institutions are creating joy through moments of beauty and creativity accessed through our laptops. Here are some examples of how the arts unite our world in joy.🧡💙

1. In a magnificent demonstration of what has become viral commonplace -- group performance through video -- The Rotterdam Philharmonic performs Beethoven’s 9th -- Ode to Joy. Stijn te Hennepe and Mike Schaperclaus of the Philharmonic describe the experience and reaction, “Beethoven 9 is a piece that stands for unity and realizing we are all one at this time...and that, if we stand together, we can overcome. We think it’s a message needed today more than ever before. People from all over the world have found comfort in the music that we all love so much. Their messages and reactions keep us going and make us feel thankful. Everybody can contribute in these dark days when it is done from the heart! A creative mind never stops!!”
Check out the performance here: The Rotterdam Philharmonic performs Beethoven’s 9th -- Ode to Joy.

2. Grammy-award performing artist Rihanna has countless millions of fans of her beautiful voice and musicality. But, increasingly, her power as a social entrepreneur and agent of change is what inspires. In 2012 and 2018, Rihanna was celebrated by TIME as one of the 100 most influential people in the world for her role as global philanthropist through the Clara Lionel Foundation. This week, Rihanna committed $5 million to help limit the spread of COVID-19, through support of Feeding America, The World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund and International Rescue Committee. A key focus for Rihanna is “local food banks serving at-risk communities and the elderly” in the United States, the “acceleration of testing and care in countries like Haiti and Malawi”, and “protective equipment for frontline health workers and diagnostic labs” and “distribution of critical respiratory supplies.”

3. Actor Josh Gad is known as the voice of Olaf in “Frozen”. But, he’s taken on a new role -- that of babysitter and storyteller. Through his Twitter account, he lends his voice and optimistic personality to the reading of beloved children’s classics. As he explains to families, "I'm trying to provide at least 10 minutes of daycare to you and your families while we're going through this unprecedented global event. I love you all. I'm hoping you're all healthy and safe, wherever you are.” Check out #GadBookClub on twitter.

4. As schools closes, the lights dim on the theatre, chorus, band, orchestra, and other artist showcases for which students trained so hard. These celebrations of talent are the culmination of months and often years of dedication, practice, and sacrifice. Tony-award winning Broadway star Laura Benanti was determined to find these young artists an audience. She posted on Twitter: “Dark times for all. Trying to find some bright spots. If you were meant to perform in your High School musical and it was cancelled please post yourself singing and tag #sunshinesongs. I want to be your audience!!” The response has been overwhelming, with Benanti retweeting #sunshinesongs to her 146,000 followers -- including Hamilton creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda!

5. Pack your bags, we’re traveling the world! Thanks to the generosity and ingenuity of leading arts and cultural institutions, families can tour great museums like the Louvre, Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History -- and our very own Museum of Fine Arts, go back to nature at the Atlanta Zoo and National Aquarium, and even check out Walt Disney World and Legoland. Wander, wonder, and dream! Explore the museums here!