The recent Franklin Community Center expansion will provide additional opportunities to positively impact Saratoga families

If you’ve ever walked the streets of Saratoga Springs, you may have happened upon a building with an iconic blue door. To some, it may look like any other door, but to others, it symbolizes a sense of family for those in need.

When you first step through that iconic blue door and enter the Franklin Community Center, you step into a space committed to providing services that improve the quality of life for others and foster a sense of neighborhood, community, and family for all.

“Since 1983, our mission has been to provide basic necessities and services to less fortunate individuals and families in our community,” said Kari Cushing, executive director of the Franklin Community Center (FCC). “The Center’s impact can be felt all throughout the area, and we work diligently to make a difference by providing a safe, comfortable, non-judgmental atmosphere where all are welcome.”

The Center offers a variety of services to help families in need. From a food pantry to a free store to student services and a furniture distribution program, FCC truly does make an impact.

In 2020, the Center’s food pantry helped nearly 3,500 families secure both perishable and non-perishable items. One hundred and thirty families benefitted from Project Lift – a free after-school prevention program where students learn about the dangers of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and gambling with positive role models. And 116 weeks of summer camp scholarships were provided to students to have the chance to enjoy new experiences.

“We’ve seen the positive impact our programs have on the community, and our social service hub has truly grown over the years,” said Cushing.

With the growth of the Center’s programs came the need for additional space, sparking the kickoff of an expansion campaign a few years ago. But more recently, a few moments of serendipity truly helped to bring the Center’s expansion to life.

When looking for space, the Center’s board of directors did not have to look very far – right across the street, to be exact.

“We were able to work with the Masie family, who has been very supportive of Franklin, to purchase the MASIE Center’s former headquarters,” said Cushing. “When we approached the Masie’s about purchasing the building, they were thrilled with the idea of new possibilities for the space.”

With a new space identified, the final step was securing funds to make the possibility of FCC’s expansion a true reality. And it was thanks to local philanthropic supporters, Stacie and Michael Arpey, that the building purchase was able to truly come to fruition.

The Arpey’s generous donation of $1 million ensured that Cushing, her staff, and the entire Franklin volunteer network would be able to expand their programs to continue serving the needs of families and individuals throughout Saratoga.

“We were over the moon excited when Stacie and Michael made this generous donation,” said Cushing. “It could not have happened without them.”

The new building, aptly named the Michael and Stacie Arpey Family Community Center, recently opened its doors. And while the transition in the new space will gradually happen over time, the Franklin team already has plans for expanding its programs.

Among them, the Center’s food pantry has already moved to the iconic 10 Franklin Street where administrative offices once were. Growing three times its current square footage, the food pantry’s expanded space will provide greater efficiency for volunteers to streamline its processes, offer additional appointments, and increase the number of food assistance packages prepared in an hour.

“While we already have plans for how this new space will help Franklin grow, we know we’ve yet to see the entire impact of this exciting opportunity,” said Cushing. “For now, we’re focused on serving the needs of our families, but the goal will be to create a more welcoming community space we can open up to the public.”

As the vision for the Center’s new space comes to life, the symbolism behind the iconic blue door only grows as its impact reaches further and stronger into the community.

“We are so grateful for all our donors, volunteers, and supporters who have helped make this possible,” said Cushing. “Having the opportunity to expand our roots, grow our programs, and impact the community in an even larger way will ensure we’re improving the quality of life for so many more people.”