Free Market
The Free Market is carry-out style. Food can be picked-up on the west side of 611 Clark, Ames, IA 50010. Social distancing guidelines followed. Please stay 6 feet apart in line. Masks required.
Free Market Times
- Sunday
- Closed
- Monday
- 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
- Tuesday
- Closed
- Wednesday
- Closed
- Thursday
- 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm
- Friday
- Closed
- Saturday
- 10:00 am – 11:00 am
The Free Market is sometimes moved one day earlier or one day later if it falls on a holiday. There are always 3 Free Markets per week. For example, Thanksgiving always falls on a Thursday, so the Market is usually held the day before on Wednesday.
Location
Market Volunteers
One shift of volunteers organizes and distributes the gleaned food, then cleans up after the market. There are 3 market shifts per week.
Anyone 5th Grade, 10 years or older is welcome to sign up for a volunteer shift.
Market Volunteer Shifts
It is very important that all volunteers arrive on time to their scheduled shifts.
3:00 – 6:00 PM Monday & Thursday
8:30 – 11:30 AM Saturday
Food at First is located in the lower level of First Christian Church 611 Clark, Ames, Iowa 50010. The entrance is on the west side of the building.
How the Free Market Works
Food at First volunteers glean food from dozens of sources around Ames. Gleaning volunteers collect THOUSANDS of pounds of produce, dairy, baked goods, and meat each week. A large percentage is utilized for the daily free meal program, and the remainder is given away to anyone who can use it to help make ends meet. 
Food is perishable so Food at First collects and disperses food three times per week at the times and location listed on this page.
There is no need to arrive too early unless you would like to socialize and have coffee. Random numbers are handed to participants just before the Free Market begins.
There are no requirements for recipients, and no personal information is collected when food is handed out. We are simply sharing God’s abundance with anyone who needs some help!
