Food at First’s new Strong Foundations for HOPE series shares stories of the people who make this place what it is. Abby’s story is about finding her way back, and finding a place where she could help others do the same.
Abby brings energy wherever she goes. These days, you’ll often find her volunteering at Food at First, helping with meals or keeping the parking lot clean. She first came here for food. What kept bringing her back was the chance to be part of something.
“I like the social aspect of being here and stuff like that,” she said, “and like meeting new people and helping out with people.”
Growing up, Abby played soccer at school and around Ames. She liked working toward a goal with a team. After graduation, she struggled to find that same sense of direction.
“I started making bad decisions and got involved with the wrong crowd. I was getting kicked out of Food at First,” Abby said. “I would get a no trespass order because I was rambunctious and loud.”
After several no trespass orders, Food at First’s director, Patty, sat down with Abby and told her, “You’ve got to make a change.” Abby remembers that conversation clearly.
“If it weren’t for Patty taking over Food at First, I probably wouldn’t be here today, just with the decisions I’ve made in the past,” Abby said.
Patty also talked with Abby about volunteering. It gave Abby a way to meet people, stay involved and help with work that mattered to her.
“I was like, I like the social aspect of being here, and like meeting new people and helping out with people, and so that kind of put a perspective on – it was like, yeah, get your stuff together,” Abby said. “I’ve been volunteering ever since then, for about eight or nine years.”
Food at First serves meals and offers groceries through its Free Market with no income requirements or proof of residence. Abby knows what that open door means to someone who needs it.
”Food at First is important for the community because it’s a place where people who don’t have access to food, can get help,” Abby said. “You will not go home hungry.”
One of Abby’s regular jobs is keeping the parking lot clean. That started with another direct conversation with Patty.
“Patty made me clean up after myself because I was smoking too many cigarettes out there and leaving them, so I just started cleaning up after everyone else, too. She’s the motivator. She’s like, all right, let’s go.”
Abby says helping others makes her feel good, and she’s proud of the progress she’s made in her own life. At the time she shared her story, she was nearing 1,200 days clean.
“Patty is actually one of the reasons I’m almost 1,200 days clean. She’s my all-time favorite person in the whole entire world, besides everyone that helped me get clean,” Abby said. “But Patty is the main person that helped me become a better person, to my kid – and to people here.”
Abby came to Food at First looking for help. For eight or nine years now, she’s been one of the people offering it.