Free stuff is always nice when you're a college student.
So, every Thursday morning the Free Stuff Guys set up a table on campus to give away candy, Slim Jims, ramen noodles or even toilet paper.
Founders David Knuckles and Kevin Linthicum have been giving away free stuff for two semesters. Their motto: "The catch is there's no catch."
Knuckles and Linthicum are members of the First Baptist Church of Albuquerque. The Free Stuff Guys are funded by the church as an outreach to students but do not actively recruit.
Fellow church member Trevor Jordan, who was lending a helping hand, said the group is laid back and fun.
"We're not here to say, 'Come to Jesus.' We're just here to give free stuff," he said.
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The Free Stuff Guys started out as a way to meet college students. Last August, Linthicum brought some candy and set up a table to talk to students.
The following week, Knuckles joined Linthicum and started talking to more and more people. The duo quickly became prominent figures on campus.
"It turned out to be kind of a cool thing, kind of a big hit," Knuckles said.
The team made T-shirts and started a Web site to promote their idea. Students can walk by and grab the free stuff they have to offer, or they can stop to talk, he said.
"If there's a need or if people want to talk, we're here to talk," Knuckles said. "We hang out. We goof around. It's a cool environment to chill in."
History student Heather Baures said she enjoys sharing a laugh with the Free Stuff Guys.
"I was going through kind of a rough spot," she said. "My grandpa had just passed away, and I was looking for random conversations with people. They were giving away hot chocolate, and I watched them interact with other students and it was fun."
Knuckles said The Free Stuff Guys serve between 800 and 1,300 students on any given Thursday. Handing out 2,000 items in a day is pretty easy to do, he said.
Knuckles said they plan to host a college party on the roof of the First Baptist Church of Albuquerque on May 9 from 8 to 11 p.m. The church is on Broadway Boulevard and Central Avenue. There will be food, music and more giveaways.
"A goal for us is to just get out there," Knuckles said. "We're out here with one purpose in mind, and that's to share the gospel of Christ with people. But we're not doing it how some other people do it. We're out here just to hang out with people."
The Free Stuff Guys said they plan to return next semester to do it all again.
