MERRY CHRISTMAS 2017!

What a wonderful Christmas day at Food at First. Thank you to the  150 total volunteers: 80 Christmas Day (Monday Dec 25 2017) volunteers + 70 prep-day volunteers (Saturday Dec 23, 2017) that made the Christmas Day Meal run very smoothly. One of the best days ever at FAF as FOOD AT FIRST served 501 meals from 11:30 am to 1 pm on 12/25/2017. 286 of those were take out Christmas meals, either picked up or delivered.

Volunteer

The most important Food at First ingredient is YOU, the volunteer.

76 FAF volunteers are signed up to prepare, serve cleanup the big community-wide Christmas Meal on 12/25/2017. If you are signed up thank you very much, please arrive at your designated time and clock in on the computer. If you are not signed up FAF is sorry, but please do not bring any extra volunteers. FAF knows you mean well, but there isn’t physically enough room for extra volunteers. If you are not signed up please DO attend and ENJOY the meal. Thank you very much for understanding.

As of 12/24/2017 one volunteer spot was still available at 9am on 12/25/2017, otherwise all the volunteer spots were filled. Thank you Food at First community for thinking of FAF on Christmas.

Sign-up and volunteer for Christmas 2017 at Food at First.

Family Volunteers

Families volunteering for Christmas, please sign-up each person in your family yourself, individually.  Its simple and fast.  We don’t physically have enough room for entire families unless they are all signed up with there own username and password. Thank you for understanding.

Everyone, please remember your username and password. Take 1 minute to timeclock in when you arrive & timeclock out when done with your shift. This helps Food at First a lot. Helpful hint: connect to FAF WiFi and use your smartphone to timeclock.

Christmas Volunteer Information

What a day this will be! Actually, 2 days! FAF volunteers start preparing for the big Christmas dinner 2 days before on Saturday Dec 23, 2017 and Christmas is on a Monday this year. Prepare the meal, serve or cleanup. Christmas signups go FASTER and FASTER every year so Sign-up now. Thank you very much to all our caring volunteers !

Sat Dec 23, 2017 is the main food prep day. Food at First volunteers work hard, and have a great time cleaning, prepping and cooking 24 Turkeys. Volunteers wash dishes, setup the pie room, peel potatoes, slice turkeys, get supplies, clean areas, and generally have a great time . The first shift on Sat starts at 7AM and shifts run thru 4pm. Yes, you can sign up for more than one shift if you like.

Christmas Day is the big meal (12/25/2017) shifts start early at 7AM and run thru 4 pm. The actual meal will be served from 11:30am to 1pm on Christmas Day and lots of cooking and more food prep will happen before 11:30am !!

Cleanup Volunteers

Cleanup volunteer shifts start at 1pm on Christmas Day Monday Dec 25, 2017. Cleanup is the most important part of the entire day. FAF would love for you to sign-up  for Christmas cleanup and please don’t leave your shift early. There is a prize if you stay till the very end.  See you there.

Other Volunteer Opportunities

Did you miss signing up for Christmas?  Don’t worry, Food at First has volunteer opportunities every day of the year.  Its fun, its rewarding, you don’t need any experience, it will make you smile. Never volunteered before, its easy, click sign-up  today and volunteer at FAF.

Christmas Homemade Pie Donations

Sign up to bake and donate 1-pie, 2-pies, 4-pies or more.

FAF loves Christmas homemade pumpkin or homemade fruit pies. If you can’t volunteer why not get in the Christmas spirit and please also consider donating a container or can of cool whip dessert topping too to go with the amazing pie you will bake.  As of today many slots are available to make pies.  If you have trouble figuring out our new PIE signup process please email patty@foodatfirst.com

Homemade Pie Delivery time and location

Drop of pies to Food at First, 611 Clark, lower level Sat, Dec 23rd 2017 7am – 4 pm, or Sun Dec 24 2017 3:30pm – 6:30pm. A pie cooling rack will be in the main dining room 2 days before Christmas, Sat Dec 23, 2017 from 7 am – 3pm and also 1 day before Christmas, Sun Dec 24, 2017 from 3:30pm – 6:30 pm.

Please log in to your FAF account –> After logging in click OPPORTUNITIES and you will see the 2017 Christmas area, under that click either Bake 1 Pie or Bake 2 Pies or Bake 4 pies or more then click the Sign-up button.

Thank you for signing up and baking pies for another great FAF Christmas Day meal.

Oh, and if you have time, please also consider donating a container of dessert whip topping for the top of your amazing pie.

Everyone Welcome

Food at First Community-Wide Christmas meal 2017, Ames, Iowa – Merry Christmas !!  Food at First is continuing this great tradition of hosting the annual Community-wide Christmas Day meal, free to anyone who would like to dine from 11:30 AM until 1 PM on December 25, 2017 in the lower level of First Christian Church, located at 611 Clark Avenue, Ames, Iowa.

The 2017 community-wide Christmas meal is for EVERYONE – Those who have a lot to be thankful for, those who are struggling, or lonely, those who have “more than enough” family …  everyone !! If you are reading this, you are invited!

Questions

Email patty@foodatfirst.com.  We hope to see you this Christmas!

New Signup Process – Food at First has a new signup system for Thanksgiving this year. If you have trouble figuring out our new signup process please email patty@foodatfirst.com

Summary

Summary Christmas 2017 at Food at First – The FAF Christmas meal 2017 was amazing. 150 Food at First volunteers prepared enough food over 2 days (Saturday prep day and Monday Christmas Day) and served 501 guests (including 286 take-out meals) on Monday December 25, 2017 from 11:30 AM – 1PM.  By the numbers, 360 pounds of Turkey, 115 pounds of ham, 200 pounds of sweet and regular potatoes, 70 homemade pies, and a big thank you to the 150 volunteers over two days of preparation, serving and cleanup.

Pie drop off times

Sat, Dec 23, 2017  7 am – 4 pm

Sun, Dec 24, 2017  3:30 pm – 6:30 pm

Christmas Meal date and time

Monday December 25, 2017 11:30 am – 1 pm

Location

Food at First, 611 Clark, Ames Iowa.

Volunteer

Sign-up for either Sat Dec 23 or Mon Dec 25

Food at First already knows what a wonderful 2018 we have in store for us, so get ready to volunteer in 2018, Food at First will have volunteer opportunities every day in 2018.

Thank you.

Christmas 2017 Flyer

Food at First Christmas Flyer PDF  <– Click to view or download printable flyer PDF, then please print/display prominently on business/public bulletin board.  Thank you.