Home Plate Kindness

Wash your hands

According to health officials, COVID-19 can be transmitted through person-to-person contact and via contaminated surfaces and objects. During this time, washing your hands could help stop the spread of the coronavirus. Using soap and water, wash your hands for at least 20 seconds making sure to cover all areas including thumbs and between fingers. If soap and water are not available, use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Avoid touching your face if you have not recently washed your hands recently.

Stay at Home

During this time, it is important to observe the direction of local officials to stay home to protect yourself and your loved ones. That applies even if you feel fine. While staying at home is encouraged, we appreciate the many first responders, doctors, nurses and healthcare workers are on the frontlines to protect everyone during this time.

Opportunity: Video Messages and Photos of Encouragement to First Responders, Nurses, and Doctors

Record a short video or take a photo thanking first responders, nurses and doctors for their sacrifices and hard work during this time.

Tips for Creating your Video Message/Photo of Encouragement:

• Have proper lighting and be sure to smile!
• Thank them and provide encouragement
• Make them feel supported
• For a video message: Be sure to speak loudly and clearly. A possible script could be: “I just want to say thank you so much for all the time and effort that you're putting in. Thank you for keeping everybody safe and providing support for those in need.”
• For a photo message: Create a sign with lots of colors saying “Thank you Doctors and Nurses” or “Thank you First Responders”

Practice social distancing

If it’s necessary for you to leave your house to get groceries, pick-up prescriptions, or other essential errands, the CDC recommends keeping a distance of six (6) feet from individuals around you. Check with your favorite store to see if they have set aside specific hours for senior citizens. Check on your neighbors who may need assistance with getting to the store, or might appreciate having something picked up for them. Consider using curbside pick-up or ordering online if your local stores offer this service. You may also consider supporting your local restaurants by ordering food to be delivered or picked up, or helping your favorite restaurant through purchasing gift cards to be used later or given to a loved one.

Opportunity:Have a Meal Delivered to a Loved One or Neighbor

• If you have an elderly or at-risk loved one or neighbor, consider ordering food to be delivered from your favorite restaurants to their residence This will provide support for the restaurants and also a hot meal to your loved ones who may not be able to go out and get a meal themselves during this time.
• Many food delivery services are providing contact free delivery through leaving the order on your doorstep.

Stay in touch with friends and family

It is important to check in on your loved ones during these times of social distancing, especially family members or friends who have recently moved and are by themselves. Use technology to stay in touch by calling, messaging, video chatting, social media or any other forms of virtual communication. Consider writing a letter or sending a care package to your elderly or at-risk friends, family or neighbors to brighten their spirits.

Opportunity: Read a Story to a Child

• Call a friend or a loved one who has a child at home and offer to read them a story. This is an opportunity to spread joy (and also give parents a break) by video calling children and reading them a story.

Learn a skill or sharpen them

The internet provides many resources to learn or sharpen a skill. Pick up knitting or painting for a hobby, or find time to learn a language you haven’t had time for. Familiarize yourself again with that software or instrument you loved using, but haven’t picked up in a while. Share your skills with family and friends through social media! It is recommended that you use online shopping to obtain tools you may need.

Opportunity: Spring Cleaning

This time is a great opportunity to clean out items in your home and decide what you want to keep or donate.

You can start your spring cleaning by donating gently used items such as:

• Appliances
• Children’s Clothing
• Furniture
• Household Goods
• Men and Women’s Clothing
• Books
• Electronics
• Toys

Discover new music

Boost your mood by searching your favorite music app for any new tunes that have released lately or fall in love with a new artist! Share what you find with your friends and family or on your social media!

Use your imagination...

The ability to imagine influences so much of what we do, and our creative thoughts. Imagination is the key to innovation. While staying at home, be imaginative and think of new ways of connecting with family, friends and even the Miami Marlins!

Opportunity: Share your own Flat Billy with the Marlins

Billy the Marlin is tired of being stuck inside Marlins Park and is curious to see what all his friends are doing at home. The Miami Marlins created a Flat Billy that you can print out at home and color in to show Billy how you are staying active at home.

• Keep Billy active at your home (home workouts, playing ball at home, etc.) and help him to learn new things (school subjects, baseball knowledge, countries around the world, recipes, etc.). Send us your own Flat Billy story at foundation@marlins.com and remember the only limitation is your own imagination.

Get your body moving!

Physical activity or exercise can improve your health and can have immediate and long-term health benefits. A minimum of 30 minutes a day can allow you to enjoy these benefits. Increased fitness may lift your mood and improve your sleep patterns. There are a large variety of workouts you can do from home during this time, without the need for any equipment. Encourage your friends and family to stay active with you.

Opportunity: Alphabet Workout

A fun idea is an alphabet workout. A workout is associated with each letter of the alphabet, spell out MIAMI MARLINS and encourage your friends and family to try too.

• M: 5 Jumping Jacks I: 10 Squats A: 10 Pushups M: 5 Jumping Jacks I: 10 Squats
• M: 5 Jumping Jacks A: 10 Pushups R: 15 Crunches L: 10 Lunges I: 10 Squats N: 1 Minute Wall Sit S: 10 Burpees

Practice Self-Care

Self-care is an important aspect of stress management. Taking time out to maintain self-care has several benefits, including a positive effect on both physical health and emotional health.

Opportunity: Practice Self Care

• Take care of your body. Take deep breaths, stretch, or meditate.
• Get plenty of sleep
• Make time to unwind. Try to do some other activities you enjoy.
• Connect with others. Talk with people you trust about your concerns and how you are feeling.

Eat a Healthy and Have a Well-Balanced Meal

Eating well is fundamental to good health and well-being. Healthy eating has many benefits. When we eat well we sleep better, have more energy and better concentration – and this all adds up to healthier, happier lives! Healthy eating is about eating a wide variety of foods in the right amounts to give your body what it needs. There are no single foods you must eat or menus you need to follow to eat healthily. Focus on eating lots of fruits and vegetables and drink lots of water to remain hydrated.

Opportunity: Promote Eating Healthy at Home

• Share your favorite recipe with the Miami Marlins on social media with #homerunmeals

Stay positive

Staying positive can be an important factor for your mental and physical health. Plus, positivity is contagious.

Opportunity: Window Messaging

Brighten the spirits of everyone in your neighborhood. Print out a baseball, a bat, a glove, Billy the Marlin or a heart and color it in. Once it is colored in, cut it out and tape it to your window in order to spread hope and joy – without spreading germs.