Free Families Forward organizing free programs for all

MILLBROOK — Samantha Cole decided to start Free Families Forward (FFF) in 2011 when she saw a need for affordable and enriching activities in her community. A mother of two from Pine Plains, Cole started the organization with a mission to organize free, fun and exciting activities for all to enjoy. With the help of volunteers and generous donations, FFF is able to offer a range of programs and activities for people in Pine Plains and beyond. Some of the group’s activities are described below. There’s Toddler Time at the Pine Plains Free Library every Monday from 11 a.m. to noon. Toddler Time is intended for newborns and children up to kindergarten. It’s a playgroup that includes activities like reading books, singing songs, playing games, doing crafts and other educational activities. FFF also offers a weekly dance and movement class for children and their caregivers, called Free Flow. That class runs every Friday from 11 a.m. to noon at the Heart of Pine Plains community center (HoPP), on the second floor of the Pine Plains Free Library. The group helps organize activities for surrounding communities such as Rhinebeck, where FFF has a play group at Waddle ‘n Swaddle, intended to provide a regular social and play area for families. Waddle ‘n Swaddle is located at the Thomas & Sally Mazzarella Community Park in Rhinebeck. FFF has also collaborated with the Millbrook Training Center to offer free-swimming evaluations for children. Cole said many of the activities she organizes for the community cater to families. “Our target demographic right now is young families,” said Cole. “We are trying to offer such diverse [programs]. I am the main volunteer so I do most of the core weekly activities, because I have a young family; my sons are 1 and 2. Because of that we sort of cater toward young families. “As more people come forward to volunteer and offer ideas for activities our range of programs will grow,” she added.Some programs cross age boundariess, such as the Community Farm to Community Pantry Project in Pine Plains. The goal is to help people who may struggle buying food. Cole approached the Pine Plains Town Board to request town land to plant a community garden; she was granted land next to Town Hall. Volunteers help plant, water and harvest the organic food from the garden, which is donated to the local food pantry. On June 16 FFF donated to its first 13 heads of lettuce.The Community Farm to Community Pantry Project will continue to donate vegetables to the food pantry. FFF needs volunteers on call to help out with daily duties such as weeding, watering and harvesting . If interested in becoming a volunteer visit the FFF website for more information.FFF offers a monthly activity called Creative License, which focuses on a different art activity every month such as play dough or poetry, to help local children to explore their own creativity. Cole said that she struggles to find a time that works for people and would like people to let her know when they would like this program to take place.FFF has some programs by appointment. Computer Companion, as an example, is for those interested in learning how to use a computer more efficiently. Another program is Family Photo Fun, where a retired professional photographer take portraits of a family for free and supplies a CD of the images for families to print at their leisure. “As you can see we have a really diversified menu of events and activities,” Cole said. “That’s kind of our mantra, to try to create free activities — wherever and however we can — and to offer them to the community. So if anybody has ideas don’t be afraid to approach me with them. There really are a limitless number of activities that can be had.”Cole said although all of FFF programs and activities are free they are quality programs, and make people feel as though they got their money’s worth. Cole said that’s important, because the poverty level in the Harlem Valley is higher than most realize.“Pine Plains census bureau in 2006 to 2010 reports that Pine Plains has a 43.8 percent poverty rate,” Cole said. “I don’t think many families are able to send their children to an extracurricular activity, like an art class, dance class, computer class or exercise class. We don’t want to cater to any particular genre of people; we want the geeks, jocks, artistic people and everyone in between. It’s really important with just the statistical data in front of you to realize we need free activities in order for people to participate in the community. Everybody can come together and really that’s the point — to come together.”An FFF first birthday celebration will be Saturday, July 21, at the McCann Ice Arena in Poughkeepsie with free ice skating from 2 to 4 p.m., open to all. For more information on FFF go to www.freefamiliesfoward.org.