Iowa Atheist and Freethinkers (IAF) is a community organization that is focused on three key initiatives: Normalizing atheism, keeping government secular, and building community for the non-religious. There is a considerable amount of overlap between these initiatives though which gives this organization’s members lots of opportunities to come together.

For example, you can find IAF tabling or running a booth at the Des Moines or Valley Junction Farmers Markets on Saturdays and Thursdays, respectively. Additionally, they’re strong proponents of the separation of church and state. They can show up at school boards, city councils, and the state house to champion this and other issues. Events like these give their members a chance to build community, advocate for their non-partisan causes, and give their organization exposure to the public.

When it comes to building community, Iowa Atheists and Freethinkers are great about creating their meet-ups. Every other Sunday anyone can join IAF from noon to 1:30 at Felix and Oscars on Merle Hay Road. They rent a private room in the back of the restaurant. They also coordinate with each other to manage their community service events or attend events other organizations are hosting. Some of their past events include supporting secular education through equipment and supplies donations or regularly visiting our community’s trails to keep them clean. They also host their own family-friendly non-religious annual gatherings like Winter Solstice. Their family events are “all of the childhood memories without religion.”