Free Market Schedule
Covid-19 changes: Free Market is pre-bagged carry-out style outside the FAF main door Mon/Thu 4:30 – 5:30 PM Sat 10 – 11 AM.
Social distancing stay 6 feet apart or more in line outside. Since grocery items are pre-bagged patrons are served rapidly.
Starting Thur Mar 19, 2020 The FAF Free Market will be carry-out at the main entrance to FAF, outside in the parking lot at 611 Clark.
Volunteers are pre-bagging staples and fresh produce then move them outside to the main FAF entrance.
Monday & Thursday afternoon Free Market start 15 minutes early, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM due to Covid-19
Saturday morning Free Market hours: 10 AM – 11 AM
The Free Market is sometimes moved one day earlier or one day later if it falls on a holiday. FAF always has 3 Markets per week. For instance Thanksgiving always falls on a Thursday, so the Market is usually held the day before on Wednesday.
FAF Market Volunteers
One shift of workers organizes the gleaned food and then helps distribute the food, then cleans and tidy’s up after the market 3 times per week. Anyone 5th Grade, 10 years or older is welcome to sign up for a volunteer shift.
Market volunteer shift times
2 PM – 6:30 PM – Monday and Thursday market volunteers arrive by 3:30 PM 2PM earlier now because it takes more time to bag groceries.
8:30 – 11:30 AM – Saturday market volunteers arrive by 8:30 AM
It’s fun to help in the Free Market. Would you like to help? click –> volunteer then click Sign-up.
Food at First volunteers glean food from dozens of sources around Ames. FAF gleaning volunteers collect THOUSANDS of pounds of produce, dairy, baked goods, and meat each week. A large percentage is utilized for the daily meal program, and the remainder is given away to anyone who can use it to help make ends meet – it has been named the “Free Market“. 
Food is perishable so Food at First collects and disperses food at regular Free Market intervals at the times and location listed on this page.
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 (such as income), and no personal information is collected when food is handed out. We are simply sharing God’s abundance with anyone who needs some help!
Location
Food at First, back door, lower level, 611 Clark (First Christian Church). Look for the Food at First Van usually sitting in the parking lot near the back door right off of 6th Street.
