Welcome to the "Food At First" Web site!

This is the place to find the answers to all of your questions regarding the free meal program offered at First United Methodist Church.

If you've come to the site to volunteer to work at one of the meals, click here.

Before we go any further, if you haven't already given your e-mail address to Scott Walker, please send an e-mail to scott@foodatfirst.com and he will add you to the mailing list, so that you'll be kept up-to-date on the happenings with Food At First!  Or...

Food At First on Facebook

How the Food at First program works

Everyone is invited to the meal, and everyone has their own reason for attending. The major focus is to help those who are not able to simultaneously meet their basic needs of food and shelter.
All meals are served at First United Methodist Church, except for Wednesdays at the Ames Woman's Club. At the church, we're in the Fellowship Hall - enter the South door, and go down the stairs to your left.  At the Club, we're in the main room - enter the West door, and you're there!
The food is purchased from the Food Bank of Iowa, as well as through local grocers and wholesalers with whom Food At First has special arrangements to save us money.
Organizations and congregations who prepare and serve meals are encouraged to contribute whatever they feel is appropriate, in terms of monetary donations, but there is no requirement to contribute financially in order to participate in the Food At First ministry.
Meals are currently served on Sunday through Friday nights, and Saturday midday, no matter what the weather! (5:30 - 6:15 on weekdays, 11:30 - 12:15 Saturdays)
Two shifts of workers prepare and serve / clean up after the meals:
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday... (at FUMC)
3:30 - 5:30 PM - preparation (4 people needed)
5:15 - 6:45 PM - serve / clean up (8 people needed)
Wednesday... (at Ames Woman's Club)
3:00 - 5:00 PM - preparation (4 people needed)
5:15 - 6:45 PM - serve / clean up (8 people needed)
Saturday... (at FUMC)
10:00 - 11:30 AM - preparation (3 people needed)
11:15 - 12:45 PM - serve / clean up (6 people needed)
Anyone 5th Grade or older is welcome to sign up for a volunteer position, and younger children are certainly welcome to "hang out with mom or dad"!

Numerous organizations & congregations provide crews for meals on a regular basis, including St. Cecilia Catholic, St. Thomas Catholic, ISU Dairy Science Club, Mary Greeley Medical Center, United Church of Christ - Congregational, St. John's Episcopal, ISU Habitat for Humanity, several ISU classes, ISU Black Engineering Society, St. Patricks / Memorial Lutheran (Nevada), and First United Methodist Church.

Local businesses have generously donated food and supplies, including Barilla, Hy-Vee, Mayfair Cleaners, North Grand Farmers Market, Ames Downtown Farmers Market, Plant a Row for the Hungry, Panera, Cub Foods, Hickory Park Restaurant, Harmony Farms (Nevada), Oxford Farms (Huxley), Story Book Orchard (Story City), and DeMoss Farms.

Resources for preparing and delivering meals are located here.

For a history of the program, click here, and for a Microsoft PowerPoint presentation describing the program, click here.

For a list of past menus, click here.

For information about one of our beloved Head Chefs, Bryan Jensen, who had a profound and lasting impact on Food At First before his untimely death, please click here.

To contact the coordinator of "Food At First", Scott Walker, send an e-mail to scott@foodatfirst.com or call him at 708-6955. Thanks for visiting, and come back soon!

To visit the Story County Resource Guide, which lists services available to those in need, click here. For an interesting look at the income required to be able to afford an apartment in Ames, click here.