Supporting local online: A few more places

We have already talked about "traveling" to museums and sites online to get to "see" a lot of museums and collections around the world. But, seriously, there are lots online and many of them from close to home.

Try to look for as many local resources (linked online) that you can so that you can support your local non-profits and small businesses near where you live. Small businesses are starting to suffer from the closures or restrictions already and could do with your support.

Even in larger cities you can still continue to find home-grown resources. For all those local in Baltimore, some larger places could also do with your help. The Baltimore Museum of Art, which committed to buying only women's art works this year (It's Women's History month!), has some great resources online for teaching and homeschooling. Just look up: https://artbma.org/educators/resources.html

Around Frederick, there are many local businesses that could do with your support and have an online presence besides our awesome food places still trying to make meals possible for take-out (curbside pickup). One of these is the homeschool link online to Julianna's Online Classes for kids and teens: https://www.facebook.com/groups/140571110651924/ . This site has a great Shakespeare Insults Generator that you can make if your kids are studying any plays or poems of the Bard at home. Or if you just want a little bit of fun as an adult! (He did make some of the BEST insults).

Another spot on Facebook where you can get some breaks from pressing the school packets or to entertain young ones, is our Frederick friends, The Curious Iguana (our local Indie Bookstore that we LOVE to do projects with) which has reading times from their book collection at https://www.facebook.com/CuriousIguana/ and they also have ring ahead/curbside pickup for books (much faster than ordering through the mail!) and links to audiobooks. (Did I mention that we love books?) Their sister store, The Dancing Bear, has online tours of their toy stores, and also curbside takeout! , and of course, some great online segments for science things-to-do with kids and more (like puppet shows!): https://www.facebook.com/dbeartoys/

There are so many local places around you that you can find online. Frederick, Maryland, is our local example with gift cards available for many businesses and information and links to local art. Cross-referencing these local places with social media will easily find you LOTS of things to do online that is a way of supporting local businesses and local artists during this time. Most places local would love your donations or purchases (including us...but if you can, donate to whoever you like at this time). If, you have to shop on Amazon, try to switch to their alternate site smile.amazon.com where you can designate a local nonprofit to benefit from your patronage! There are SO many ways to help.

And remember, do your civic duty at this difficult time and STAY HOME. Try reframing it into something less stressful to think of like a "snow day" or a staycation (yes, I don't like that word either). We are all in this together. Reach out to people online/videochat and pick up a phone and chat with friends you haven't heard from in a long time or, (OMG) write a letter to an old friend! But stay safe and healthy and enjoy our online links until we have more FBAC content to share with you!

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