As 2020 progresses, we will all be adjusting to a temporarily new way of life, with social distancing to most likely continue for many months to come. With these new changes, I want you to know how I’m working hard for you and that I’m not going anywhere. I also want to let you know what changes I’m making in my business so I can be a resource now and continue to best serve you when we can start our sessions again.

1. I purchased a brand new telephoto lens that will allow me to capture stunning portraits of your dogs and your family from much farther away. I am so excited about this. I will still be able to create beautiful images for you, but we will be able to maintain safe distances from each other so I can keep us both safe. I purchased this lens from my local camera shop, Camera Bar, because I’m committed to keep supporting other small businesses as well. Know that when you support my small business, I do my best to keep that money in my community ❤️

2. I’m adjusting! Change is the only constant, and businesses are shifting more and more online. I am now offering Virtual Viewing Sessions and Contactless Art Delivery. All of my Pre-Session Consultations are already done over the phone, and with my new longer lens, our sessions can also be done from a much farther and safer distance. Do you have questions about my photography experience? Contact me today and let’s chat!

3. I’m sharing more dog enrichment tips and knowledge with you! My mission has always been to capture and preserve your beautiful pets and your bond with them. However, during times when I cannot be photographing you, I can be helping you to continue enhancing that bond, and I’m committed to doing so. Check out my last blog post for all the details about how I do Interactive Dog Feeding with Oats and my favorite toys! Plus check out my amazing interview with dog trainer Casey Coughlin of Inspiration Canine about dog enrichment, boredom busters, socializing your dog during quarantine, and more! We even chat about the separation anxiety myth that’s become a hot topic right now. It’s definitely worth a listen!

4. I’m expanding my network. My community has always been filled with people who love their pets like family, so if I can provide a referral for a dog trainer, groomer, local pet shop, etc. I want to do so. It’s a great time for us to be connecting and chatting, so if you are a fellow small business owner and would like to collaborate or simply make an introduction, please reach out!

5. I’m learning! I’m continuing to grow my skills as a photographer so that I can continue to produce more and more amazing images for you.

6. I’m supporting my community. I am donating 10% of all session fees to Feeding America, now through May 31st. I have already made two large donations and will continue to do so. Book your session today, for later this year, and I’ll make a donation now.

7. I’m practicing my photography, because I’m lucky enough to live with a wonderful dog model! Oatsy and I are also working on a very special project, which we’ll share with you soon! (See a sneak peek below - wink wink)

8. I’m shopping local. As I mentioned before, I purchased my newest camera lens from my local shop as a curbside delivery. It is said that for every $100 spent at a small business, $68 of that stays in the community. I want you to know that when you invest in my small business, I work hard to keep that money local whenever I can. Check out my blog post on Supporting Small Businesses During COVID-19.

9. Finally, and most importantly, I’m taking BREAKS. I’m not watching the news. I’m balancing social media time with lots of other activities, like hiking, reading and simply being present. I cannot stress how important this is. Give yourself breaks whenever you can. Stay away from the news as much as possible. Do little things to make yourself happy. These are tough times, but we WILL get through them and be stronger for it. Sending so much love to all of you. Please reach out anytime.

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Don’t forget to check out everything I’ve been sharing on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest (click the icons below), plus my awesome interview with Inspiration Canine, and current GIVEAWAY on Instagram!

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STAY SAFE FRIENDS.

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Today I want to talk about something I do for Oats every day, twice a day, that has made a world of difference in her life, and is something any dog owner can (and should!) try. The main reason dogs are overly hyper or have behavior issues is because they are bored. Just like humans - they have incredible brains that need to be stimulated. Dog owners often attribute these issues to a lack of exercise, but that’s not the only thing dogs need to thrive.

Physical exercise for dogs is vitally important, yes. But mental exercise is often overlooked as an essential part of a dog’s well-being. Please note that even if your dog is not hyper and does not have behavior issues, mental stimulation is still extremely important for them and should be something they experience as much as possible. Mental activities are also vital if you are in a quarantine situation right now where you cannot physically exercise your dog outside. Some cities have closed down all their parks and trails, and walking your dogs outdoors can be quite challenging. Now is definitely the time to try out some of these fun ideas, and give your dogs a different kind of “exercise.” I’ll be talking about a lot of different dog enrichment ideas over the coming weeks, but today I want to talk about one of my favorite ideas that I practice every single day with Oats - interactive feeding.

Interactive feeding simply means to use something other than a bowl to feed your dog. This can mean that you use food-dispensing toys, that you play games for their food, that you sprinkle their food in the grass and have them search for it, or almost anything fun you can think of to have them “play” or “work” for their food. You want to keep this fun, and not so challenging that they get anxious or stressed. I use a variety of different toys to feed Oats, which I talked about in a recent Instagram video (link below) and which I list below as well if you’re interested in purchasing them for your own dog!

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Why I Prefer Toys Over Slow Feeder Bowls

Oats gets two meals a day, like most dogs after they grow out of their puppy stage of eating three times a day. These are two excellent opportunities to give your dog (or three opportunities for puppies!) some much needed mental stimulation. It gives dogs a job to do, it stimulates their brain, it helps prevent resource guarding, AND it forces them to take a longer time to eat. Many dogs, especially labs like Oats, will scarf down a bowl full of kibble in about 10 seconds. This can be dangerous, as it can be both a choking hazard and a cause of stomach issues (including very serious ones, like bloat). Slowing down dog feeding has been a popular topic of discussion for years, and slow feeder bowls have become very popular as a means to slow them down. I am not an expert on slow feeder bowls, but having seen many dogs eat from them, and doing some of my own research, it is my opinion (just as a dog owner, not an expert) that food-dispensing toys are a much better alternative to slow feeder bowls. If you’ve ever watched a dog eat from a slow feeder bowl, many still try to scarf down the food as if it were in a standard bowl. They get frustrated because they cannot get to the food quickly enough, and it is possible that this struggle can cause them to get anxious and ingest extra air when trying to eat. Again, I am not an expert and if your dog does well with a slow feeder bowl, that’s definitely a better alternative to a standard, basic bowl. However, I will encourage you to give toy-feeding a try. I think it is the best option available, and gives your dog a much better variety of enrichment than a slow feeder bowl.

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My personal story of interactive feeding with oats

I’d like to share my personal story of how and why I started doing this, and how it’s benefited my own dog. Oats had two knee surgeries, back to back, when she was 3.5 and 4 years old (they were 6 months apart). These were serious surgeries - the equivalent to ACL surgeries in humans. She was unable to do any real exercise for an entire year, aside from physical therapy and eventually short walks. For a young, overactive labrador, not being able to run or play ball was very difficult and heartbreaking. She was bored all the time and therefore also much more hyper, which unfortunately was exactly the opposite of how she needed to be in order for her knees to properly heal. I had two dog trainer friends that introduced me to the concept of puzzle toys and interactive feeding, but it took me a while to jump on board. I thought it would take too long, it would make a mess in my house, and it really wouldn’t make much of a difference. But after a while I gave it a try with a toy called a Tricky Treat Ball (check it out below). It’s a food/treat dispensing toy with a lip inside to prevent the food from falling out at once, making it a fun challenge for dogs. I tried feeding Oats with this ball for a few days, and it went well. Then I got lazy one day and just threw her kibble into her bowl like I always used to. She ate it, of course, in 10 seconds, and then when she had finished she picked up her Tricky Treat ball and actually tossed it into my lap from her mouth. She was saying, “ok I’m ready for my food toy now.” It was then that I realized she really enjoyed this daily ritual of playing with this ball to get her food. She told me what she wanted from me, and I felt it was my responsibility to listen to her. That was the day we ditched the bowl. I’ve tried dozens more interactive food-dispensing toys with her over the last 5 or so years, and it’s become a normal part of our routine. I have now figured out which toys Oats loves the most and which ones she doesn’t care for (I can tell by what she goes for first, what she brings to me when she’s bored, and what ones she typically doesn’t finish). I even bring a select few favorite ones with us when we travel. With the exception of her wet food that she also gets at every meal, we have never again used a bowl for the feeding of kibble. The process of eating a full meal out of toys typically takes about 10 minutes, and I usually put the food in 3-5 different toys each time (when traveling I usually bring two toys). That’s 10 full minutes of great mental stimulation, using a variety of different items. After each meal, Oats is ready for a nap. This is IDEAL because especially with large dogs, they should be resting for about an hour after every meal to prevent bloat or other stomach issues. This process has worked extremely well for us and is now part of our normal routine. I strongly encourage you to try this and consider making it a part of your daily routine as well. I think you’ll be amazed at the improvement you see in your dog’s behavior and happiness.

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Check out our video to learn more!

View this post on Instagram

Oats and I made a video for you about how Oats eats her meals out of toys, why it’s awesome, what we use and how you can do it too. Complete with goofy Oatsy commentary and bloopers! #withloveandoats If you’ve tried interactive feeding, comment below with your favorite toys! If you haven’t tried it, I encourage you to ditch the bowl and give this a try. Your dog will love it ❤️

A post shared by With ♥ & Oats Dog Photography (@withloveandoats) on Apr 16, 2020 at 1:20pm PDT

Check out our latest video on IGTV, where I explain my interactive feeding process, the toys I love the most, and watch Oats use them. There’s also a whole lot of hilarious Oatsy commentary (I know why you all really watch my videos!) and of course, a full minute of bloopers. If you’re not already following us on Instagram, click the “Follow” button so you can be the first to see all our videos and cute doggy photos!

In this video I go through each of the toys that I regularly use to feed Oats and explain each one. I also mention that if you don’t have these toys and want to get started right now, you can use almost anything around your house, such as egg cartons and cardboard boxes. Simply put some kibble inside them and let your dog rip it up (shredding things is also great for their mental stimulation). You can also take a towel and sprinkle some kibble inside it, roll it up and let them unravel it to get their food.

Or you can of course purchase the toys we mentioned in our video! There are links in the next section for each one, along with a description of why we love them.

If you’re not already following along with us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest, click these buttons to do so. We’ll be posting lots more dog enrichment ideas soon!

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The Toys We Love

Here are the toys we showed you in our video and that, after many years of trying nearly every interactive toy we can get our paws on, we love the most. I encourage you to call your local pet stores and see if they have any of these toys before ordering them online. Supporting our small, local businesses has never been more important than it is right now. As someone who used to manage an independently-owned location pet shop, I can tell you that treat and toys sales in addition to your food orders will immensely benefit your favorite local stores. They’re all offering curbside pickup and many are offering deliveries as well (but please be patient with them and order enough to make these deliveries worth their time - most are just tiny shops with a couple staff members). However, if your local shops don’t have these items, please click the links below to order them online. If you order them using these Amazon links it does benefit my small business, and I appreciate that so much!

Disclosure: The links below are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

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Omega Paw Authentic Tricky Treat Ball - Medium,Orange

Omega Paw

Buy on Amazon

1) Omega Paw Tricky Treat Ball

This ball is wonderful because it is highly durable and has a small lip inside the opening which means that the kibble will not simply fall out. It is challenging but fun, and it is one of Oatsy’s favorite toys and the original toy we used when starting interactive feeding! I recommend purchasing the large size so it doesn’t roll under the furniture. We have 3 of the medium size ones and they are always getting lost under the couches!

Challenge Level: Intermediate

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Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff Snoop Interactive Puzzle Dog Toy, Orange

Planet Dog

Buy on Amazon

2) Planet Dog Snoop

This is a classic beginner toy, so if you have a dog that’s new to interactive feeding I would recommend this as a starter toy. After they’ve figured it out it becomes a bit too easy, but for older dogs who need something simple this is a great one. It has a large opening so you can stick a Planet Dog nook or a regular tennis ball in there to make it an extra challenge.

Challenge Level: Easy

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Planet Dog Orbee-Tuff Link Blue Interactive Treat-Dispensing Puzzle Dog Toy, 4-Piece

Outward Hound

Buy on Amazon

3) Planet Dog Link

Definitely another one of our favorites, we use the Planet Dog Link every day. It’s different than the Tricky Treat ball because it doesn’t roll, so dogs have to flip it around with either their mouths or paws. You can also buy a couple of these and “link” them together. They have four pieces that pull apart so if your dog likes to pull toys apart, this is a fun one! Then you can easily put the pieces back together.

Challenge Level: Easy-Intermediate

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StarMark Bob-A-Lot Interactive Pet Toy, Large

StarMark

Buy on Amazon

4) Starmark Bob-A-Lot

Another one that we use daily and is shown in our video! This is a very heavy toy and acts like a bowling pin, but never falls over. It is weighted at the bottom so if you have hardwood floors or tile, this may not be your best bet. If you don’t mind the noise of it hitting the floor, it’s a great toy and very different from the others. Dogs can also pick it up by the top piece and move it around.

Challenge Level: Easy-Intermediate

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5) Snufflemat

We made ours ourselves, so there’s a tutorial below if you’re the DIY type, or purchase one on Amazon or in your local pet store.

Here’s a great tutorial by our friends at The Honest Kitchen (who I’ll be featuring in my next enrichment blog post and video!):

DIY Snufflemat Tutorial by The Honest Kitchen

Challenge Level: Easy

Paw 5 Wooly Snuffle Mat - Feeding Mat for Dogs (12" x 17") - Encourages Natural Foraging Skills - Easy to Fill - Fun to Use Design - Durable and Machine Washable - Perfect for Any Breed

Paw 5

Buy on Amazon

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Other toy ideas:

Wobbler Large

KONG

Buy on Amazon

Kong Wobbler

This is a great alternative to a Bob-A-Lot if you don’t want something quite as heavy or if you have a dog that you think will chew on the top of the Bob-A-Lot. The Wobbler can’t easily be picked up and works in a similar way.

Challenge Level: Easy-Intermediate

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KONG - Genius Mike - Interactive Treat Dispensing Dog Puzzle Toy - For Large Dogs (Assorted Colors)

KONG

Buy on Amazon

Kong Genius Toys: Mike

This toy is named after Michaelangelo! I have this one and it’s very durable and a great quality toy. I don’t use it much only because it’s not Oatsy’s favorite, but that doesn’t mean your pup won’t love it! I’ve found that this toy works better for small treats but something not quite as small as kibble.

Challenge Level: Easy-Intermediate

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KONG - Genius Leo - Interactive Treat Dispensing Dog Puzzle Toy - Small (Assorted Colors)

KONG

Buy on Amazon

Kong Genius Toys: Leo

Here’s another Genius toy - named after Leonardo DiVinci! Again, I use this one occasionally but not daily because it’s not Oatsy’s favorite. It’s great for changing up the variety of toys occasionally, and has to be flipped around or rolled. It’s a unique shape so it’s definitely a nice one to have in your arsenal!

Challenge Level: Intermediate

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Join Me for A Live Interview!

I’m thrilled to announce that I’ll be chatting on Instagram Live with amazing local dog trainer Casey Coughlin of Inspiration Canine on Friday, April 24, 2020 at 12:00pm EST. Tune in live with us to learn all about interactive feeding and awesome dog enrichment ideas from the person who introduced me to this important topic! We’ll also be chatting about socializing your dog during COVID-19 and why social distancing is actually great for puppies and adult dogs. You don’t want to miss this!

friday, april 24th

12:00pm EST

instagram live @withloveandoats

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more videos, interviews & GIVEAWAYs!

Over the next few weeks I’ll be releasing more videos, doing another awesome interview and doing a few giveaways! The first giveaway will be for three of the interactive toys Oatsy loves the most! Make sure you’re following us on social media so you don’t miss a thing.

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Stay safe friends.

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I’m so excited to introduce you to the sweetest little pupper that recently came for a playdate in the studio. This session was purchased as a Christmas gift for my amazing client’s dad because he and Bo have a very special bond. We focused a lot on them together but the whole family got in on the session as well, which is my favorite thing! Bo was so sweet and fun and I had such an incredible time with this family!

Bo’s special connection to his dad was clear throughout their time with me in the studio. They are just the best of buds.

Bo was a spectacular model for the camera. We were able to get so many sweet poses to show off his personality and his many expressions, and even some action images while he ran towards me, for treats of course!

We did some rolls and tricks and I’m so excited with how cute his images came out.

I love doing cute little action series of pups doing their best tricks, playing or running. Bo does spins for treats and is so cute doing it.

We got his whole family in the session as well, which is so important. I always encourage my human families to get in images with their pets, because you’ll end up cherishing these images so much someday (and now)!

I love how happy Bo looks in all these images, especially with his people :)

Bo is definitely his dad’s dog. They have such a sweet, special bond, so we did a lot of photos of the two of them together…some sweet and some silly!

We spent a few minutes together at the end of our session, doing some close ups and cute smiles.

A very special thank you to Kathleen, Fran & AnnMarie for trusting me to capture images of your family and for sharing your sweet Bo with me. You were all an absolute JOY to work with and I hope we’ll get to reunite again soon!

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artwork

Bo’s family ordered a mounted print of Bo’s project image (these always seem to be client favorites - which I LOVE!) and a stunning album with all their favorite images (almost all of them!) from his studio session. Sadly I was’t able to hand deliver their album and artwork (and doggy cookies) for this session because of the quarantines, but I got everything shipped out to them right away. If you’d like to see me flip through Bo’s album, click the video link below to check it out.

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With Love & Dogs Project

And finally…here is Bo’s image for the With Love & Dogs Project! I am so excited about how this came out and his smiling face is perfect to accompany this quote. If you’re interested in being a part of the Project, I am still collecting model applications and will be for quite a while, as there’s MANY images I’m going to create for this project. While I will not be booking any sessions in the studio during the current self-isolation/quarantine period, I will continue to accept and review model applications, so this is a great time to spend a few minutes applying. Click here to apply: With Love & Dogs Model Call.

In case you missed my last blog post, there’s some updates about what I’m doing in response to the coronavirus outbreak. I am not currently seeing clients for sessions, but I’m still here and want to support you. If you’ve been thinking about booking a session for sometime this year, I have plenty of availability to chat with you right now about the different options and answer questions. If you do book, I’ll be donating 10% of all session fees toward Feeding America through 5/31/2020. I am also offering 20% off session fees for all healthcare workers for the entirety of 2020. I will continue to blog, post on Facebook and Instagram, and I’ll be available for questions, content requests and just to chat. We’re all in this together and Oats and I are here for you. Thank you for continuing to support our small business ❤️

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Dear Friends & Family,

In this uncertain and difficult time, I wanted to reach out and give you some updates about what we are doing to support our community and to send our love and safe wishes to all of you.

First, I will not being seeing clients for sessions at this time. I am staying home and doing my part. However, if you were considering booking a session for later this year, please do not hesitate to reach out. I have plenty of time to chat with you right now about what you're looking for and how I can make that happen for you. I am happy to answer questions, chat about your pets and all the different options, Zoom to show you artwork, etc. For any sessions booked now through May 31st (to be scheduled later), I will be donating 10% of the session fee to Feeding America as a way of saying thank you for supporting my business and to continue giving back to the community when it's most needed. (More details below)

Second, my deepest gratitude goes out to all healthcare workers right now on the front lines of this crisis. When this is all over and you have a moment to breathe, if you would like some artwork of your pets, let me know. I am happy to offer 20% off your session fee as a small gift of thanks. (More details below)

Third, I want to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who has shown support for small businesses during this time. My entire professional career has been spent working for small businesses, and I now own one, so they are very close to my heart. I wrote a blog post last week about both monetary and FREE ways to support the businesses that make our communities thrive, so I hope you'll check it out and continue to support local whenever possible right now. (Blog link below)

Lastly, please follow along with Oats and I on Facebook and Instagram for even more videos, photos and humor than normal. We are doing our best to keep you entertained and provide laughs, love and information at this time. I will also be blogging regularly, so following along on these platforms will get you all the blog updates! I will be trying to bring you some interesting and new content about dog enrichment, and I'm also taking requests, so if there's something you want to know, contact me!

Oats and I are here for you and will continue to be. We send love and doggy kisses. Stay home, stay safe, hug your pets and please keep in touch. Now is the time for community more than ever.

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10% to Feeding America

For all sessions booked now for anytime this year

Starting now, I will be donating 10% of all session fees to Feeding America, who are helping the most vulnerable in our communities get access to food, cleaning supplies, diapers and personal care products. They are also assisting schools and local governments with the continuation of school meals for children and families who rely on them, sending emergency food boxes to local food banks and providing grants to these food banks to continue providing for our communities.

There is no pressure to book a session now if times are hard for you. However, for anyone who does, I want to pay it forward. You will be helping my small business survive this difficult time, and I will in turn give back to help others as well ❤️

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20% off Sessions for Healthcare Workers

(for the rest of 2020)

To our brave healthcare workers on the front lines: THANK YOU.

When things are less crazy, if you've been wanting some artwork of your pets, contact me and just let me know you're a healthcare worker. I am happy to offer you 20% off your session fee as a small gift of thanks for your immeasurable efforts right now. That's why this offer will extend for the entirety of 2020. I would love to work with you and your pets.

Your whole community thanks you.

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WE’RE HERE FOR YOU

Follow along with us for Oatsy humor and more!

I will be posting daily on Facebook & Instagram STORIES, plus I'll be available on both platforms for messaging if you have questions or requests for what you'd like to see from us! We also just joined TikTok 😂 and I'll be blogging regularly. I'll be sharing some ideas about dog enrichment soon, plus more!

Find us on Facebook
Find us on Instagram
Find us on TikTok (New!)

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Stay safe friends.

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While things are very uncertain in the world around us, one thing we do know is that smaller businesses are being severely impacted by this worldwide health crisis. This is unprecedented, and something no one plans for. I’ve been brainstorming some ways we can continue supporting local, without even leaving our homes, and I hope that if you are able to spend money, you’ll make an effort to still spend locally when possible. If you’re not able to spare any money right now, I’ve included several FREE ideas for how to continue supporting small businesses, local artists, libraries and non-profits during the coronavirus shutdown.

Share Some Love

Maybe you can’t shop at your favorite local retail store or visit your favorite coffee shop or restaurant, but there are ways to continue supporting the businesses that add so much value to our communities.

1. Consider ordering gift cards from them to use or gift later. One of my friends suggested this and I LOVE THIS IDEA. Call and order gift cards over the phone, so you’re supporting them without leaving your home. Maybe you can even accomplish some very early Christmas shopping by ordering some local gift cards from your fave places??

2. Use delivery or pickup services. One of my favorite local pet stores, The Better Beagle Co in Oxford, CT, is offering delivery services to your home, and they’re even giving you a free bag of Primal dog treats with every delivery this month. Another favorite, Leaps & Bones in South Windsor, CT (and I’m sure ALL stores will do this if you ask), is offering a service to pay over the phone and they will load your car at their back door. They are also offering once a week delivery. The Mystic Pet Shop in Mystic CT is also doing curbside pick up AND is offering to work with customers who need to stock up but are low on cash right now. THIS is why we shop local. Call your favorite shops and ask. If they are open, offer to pay over the phone before arriving, get what you need and don’t touch anything extra, or have them deliver items to your car or your home.

3. Leave them some LOVE in the form of REVIEWS. Maybe you can’t go out in public to shop, maybe shops are closed, and maybe you can’t swing extra cash during an uncertain time to help someone else’s business. But here’s a FREE and super kind way to help: Leave REVIEWS. Go on Google and Facebook and tell your favorite local shops, artists, businesses, non-profits, etc., how awesome they are. This helps small business owners immensely in the form of social proof. Nearly all customers do online research before shopping somewhere or hiring someone, and having social proof helps businesses greatly in their marketing efforts to new customers. This is FREE, takes maybe 30 seconds of your time, and is a big help. You can even copy and paste your Facebook review to Google and help them double.

4. Partnerships: If you are a small business owner and are slow or shut down right now, use this opportunity to finally reach out to another business owner to form that partnership you’ve been thinking about for ages. If you’re not a business owner but know of some that may benefit from a connection, reach out! Create an introduction between two businesses who might be able to work together in the future.

5. Order from Etsy instead of Amazon. Many artists and creatives also sell online, using Etsy or their own websites. Try to order from them instead of going to Amazon, especially if you can wait an extra day or two for a delivery. Many talented creators can still work from home during this time and get products shipped to you, so if you’re using this stay-at-home-time to redecorate, organize your house, start a new hobby or do some fun craft projects, consider ordering from small time artists instead of giant box stores.

Libraries & Local Book Stores

If you’re not already familiar with these ideas, I’m about to BLOW YOUR MIND. A couple years ago I read a book in December and realized it was the ONLY BOOK I’D READ ALL YEAR. Gross. What the heck happened to me and my learning, thriving brain?!? So I committed to reading at least one book a month the following year. I read 17 books that year. Then last year I read 44. This year I’ve already read 18. Want to know my secret?

1. Libby: This INCREDIBLE app allows you to listen to audiobooks free from your local library on your smart phone. It’s extremely user-friendly, FREE, and you can hold up to 10 books at a time, so even if you have to wait a bit for a bestseller, you can basically have a constant stream of books to read. I am not kidding when I tell you that this app has CHANGED MY LIFE. *Also, this helps me continue to support my local library. I am a huge advocate for libraries, as they are an incredible community resource and have very limited funding. Every time you check out a book (or Libby audiobook), it helps them continue to get state funding.

2. Libro FM: Want to keep supporting your favorite local bookstores during the shutdowns? I have your answer. This app, similar to Audible, allows you to access audiobooks while supporting your LOCAL bookstore, instead of Amazon. Click here to get started.

3. Shop Local Online: My favorite local bookstore, River Bend Bookshop in Glastonbury CT, also offers online shopping, which is perfect at a time when sitting home and reading is actually possible! Try to choose local when you can, especially since many brand new books are the same price everywhere. Note that River Bend Bookshop is also offering curbside pickup, as I’m sure are many others!

performing artists, teachers, community organizers

1. Online Learning: I am blown away by the amazing ideas now being circulated online. I just saw an artist offering free online classes for children every day next week (I will link that here if I can find it again). They can watch online and use simple supplies from home to do art projects. BRILLIANT.

   • Use this time to download music from local musicians, take classes taught by local artists or educators, learn a new skill, etc.

2. Online Sharing: If someone is doing something brilliant and fun and creative online right now, share it. Share it, and leave them reviews, and make a list of all the people you can’t wait to see perform or teach live once this is all over. For musicians, comedians and performing artists, sharing their work online has an incredible ripple effect that can transform their career.

Restaurants

1. Order In: If you can get delivery from UberEats, GrubHub or Postmates from your locally-owned restaurants, do so and pay over the phone by credit card. Have them leave the food on the doorstep. TIP WELL.

2. Order Gift Cards: Same as above with local shops - ordering gift cards to use later at your favorite restaurants can give a quick cash flow to a business that’s hurting right now.

Many states have started shutting down restaurants and bars since I first drafted this, so I’ll also add to follow the above recommendation about leaving them some online love. If you can’t directly support them, leave reviews on Facebook, Google and Yelp for these businesses to help them with their marketing when they reopen. It may not feel like much, but it helps. If you have a friend that owns a business that has been forced to shut down, reach out to offer words of encouragement or even financial support if you can.

Non-profits

1. Donate Money, if you can. Places that serve the least vulnerable like Meals on Wheels, local soup kitchens, local animal shelters, etc. will need all the extra help they can get right now, since their services are going to be more complicated than ever to get to the people that need them in a sanitary and safe way.

2. Donate Items you have too many of, like toilet paper, paper towels, soap, and hand sanitizer. I know that the CT Humane Society and Protectors of Animals in East Hartford CT are both running low on hand sanitizer right now, and I am sure they are not the only ones. These places need to keep running, so making sure the staff and volunteers are safe is extremely important. If you have extra, share.

3. Use Amazon Smile if you need to order items from Amazon anyway. Simply type “Amazon Smile” into the search instead of just “Amazon.com” and then make sure your account is connected to your favorite local charity. This costs you nothing extra but every little bit helps for local non-profits.

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What other creative ideas have you done or heard about to support small businesses during this difficult time? Remember that these small businesses, community groups and non-profits are what make our communities strong, and this is a time for us to come together in creative (and virtual) ways. Please be safe, STAY HOME as much as possible, wash your hands, and do your part. If we all consider the greater good more than ourselves right now, we will get through this much faster and stronger. Sending love and lots of doggy snuggles to all of you ❤️

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