Welcome to the First Friday Breakfast Club!

The First Friday Breakfast Club (FFBC) is an educational group for gay, bisexual and transgender men. We gather monthly in Des Moines for breakfast, fellowship and a speaker. We provide a safe and supportive environment for all members and guests.

As Iowa’s largest breakfast club, we are active, dynamic and engaging. We educate ourselves on LGBTQ issues. We work to reduce prejudice and discrimination. Throughout the year, we raise scholarship funds for students who fight homophobia. We offer guidance to those who need help in the coming out process. And we provide opinion leaders and the community with positive images of LGBTQ people.

Please visit our website www.ffbciowa.org where we have our upcoming speakers and archive of prior speaker recordings as well as newsletters.  
 
You now have the ability to make one-time or recurring donations to support the scholarship program!

Click HERE to donate to the scholarship fund.  

The October 2022 newsletter is now available HERE.

Twelve outstanding graduating high school seniors were awarded scholarships at an awards ceremony on June 3, 2022.  See more about these outstanding young adults on the Scholars page.  

Upcoming Speakers

 
October 7, 2022:  Dana Cardin, former KCCI Assistant News Director, retired at the end of 2021.  He devoted four decades to serving Central Iowans after first serving his country in the Navy. He started here as a reporter where he literally traveled the globe sharing stories that impacted Iowans. Some of his most memorable were from his feature segment called “Eye on Iowa”. Dana’s trademark writing and reporting skills shaped compelling stories. Over the last 25 years, he’s used his skills to shape the next generation of journalists as our Assistant News Director. Over the course of his career here, Dana had his hand in numerous journalism awards including a recent Edward R. Murrow award.
 
November 4, 2022:   Mike Franken who won the Democratic nomination (June 7) to run as the Democratic candidate for US Senator.
 
December 2, 2022:  Reverend Rushing Kimball, the  Associate Pastor at Des Moines’s Plymouth Congregational Church (United Church of Christ).
 
January 6, 2023:   Matt Sinovic is executive director of Progress Iowa which is a statewide organization focused on research, education and advocacy.
 
March 3, 2023:  Mark Stringer, Executive Director of The American Civil Liberties Union and former Iowa Supreme Court Justice.  The ACLU works within communities across the state to defend the civil rights and civil liberties of all Iowans through litigation, education, and community engagement.
 
April 7, 2023:   Kevin Schneider, Polk County Sheriff.

FFBC members enjoy breakfast and a speaker during the monthly gatherings. Breakfast begins promptly at 7:00 am. Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are at the Hoyt Sherman Place.

Hoyt Sherman Place (website) 
1501 Woodland Avenue
Des Moines, IA 50309

To view past speakers (and listen to remarks from select speakers), click here or on the PAST SPEAKERS link at the top of the page.

Speaker Recommendations:  If you have a recommendation for a speaker for a future First Friday Breakfast Club meeting please email to info@ffbciowa.org, providing information about the potential speaker, and contact information for them.  Your contact information would be appreciated as well. 

Items of interest

Iowa Safe Schools Spirit Awards 2022

Join Iowa Safe Schools for an evening dedicated to celebrating the work being done around the state to support LGBTQ youth. Iowa Safe Schools is proud to present the 2022 Spirit Awards on Friday, October 7th at Capital Square in downtown Des Moines.  To register to attend click HERE.

This year, Iowa Safe Schools will present awards to community members and groups in the following categories:

  • Ally of the Year
  • Partner in Progress
  • GSA of the Year
  • Lynn Reinicke Educator of the Year
  • Exceptional Media Coverage

As always, we invite guests to dress with pride FLAIR, and join us for a night of laughs, celebration, and commitment to supporting LGBTQ youth across Iowa.

DSM LGBTQ Legacy Leader Awards 2022

[Extract from DSM Magazine Site]

Over the years, Iowa’s LGBTQ community has had a positive influence on our state. Representing a wide range of vocations and avocations, they have led with creativity, vigor and compassion, solving problems and helping build a state that we all can be proud to call home.

In tribute to such inspiring contributions, dsm magazine, One Iowa and American Equity will celebrate the 4th annual LGBTQ Legacy Leader Awards on October 19, 2022 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Willow on Grand (6011 Grand Ave. in Des Moines). We will also recognize an ally of the LGBTQ community, someone whose contributions to equality and justice have helped ensure that gender and sexual orientation must not be stigmatized or marginalized in the culture of Iowa.

To register to attend the event go to:  DSM Magazine.

Important Dates for Election 2022

  • August 30, 2022:  First day to request an absentee ballot be mailed to the voter.
  • October 19, 2022:  First day ballots can be mailed to voters that have requested them
  • October 19, 2022:  First day to vote early in person at the Polk County Election Office
  • October 24, 2022:  All absentee ballot requests for a mailed ballot MUST PHYSICALLY be in the office by 5 PM. Postmarks do not count!
  • November 5, 2022:  Office open for early voting. Hours to be determined
  • November 7, 2022:  Final day to vote early in the Polk County Election Office – 5 PM deadline.
  • November 8, 2022:  Election Day – polls will be open from 7 AM – 8 PM. Vote at your assigned polling location. All early votes must physically be in the office by 8 PM.

Information provided by Polk County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections.