A Free Market That Looks Like a Farmers Market Sets Up in Pasadena

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The crates of glossy peppers, melons and leafy greens laid out on folding tables could pass for any upscale farmers market. The difference is the price: everything is free. Every Friday, Thrive Food Bank sets up its farmers-market-style giveaway at Iglesia de Nazareth in Pasadena, and the next distribution runs Friday, July 17, from 4 to 7 p.m. There are no sign-ups, no income checks and no cost — just bring a bag.

The setup is deliberate. Rather than handing out preassembled bags of dry goods, the nonprofit lets people browse and choose their own fresh fruits and vegetables, much of it organic and sourced from small California farms and delivered by electric trucks. “I wanted to find a way to distribute food to people that was done with dignity,” said founder Lindsay Chambers.

The Pasadena market has roots in disaster. Together We Thrive, the organization behind it, launched its first market in Canoga Park in early 2025, then opened the Pasadena location to help a local church feed evacuees, survivors and first responders during the January 2025 wildfires. It has kept going and growing ever since.

Everyone is welcome, and organizers encourage regulars and newcomers alike to bring a reusable bag and, if they can, a friend. The produce lasts while supplies do.

Thrive Food Bank’s free produce giveaway takes place every Friday, including Friday, July 17, from 4 to 7 p.m. Iglesia de Nazareth, 3541 Brandon Street, Pasadena. For more information, email info@thrive.charity or visit togetherwethrive.charity. Everyone is welcome; bring a bag. The produce is free.