Everyone could all use a break sometimes. That's the bare minimum of what JD and Marideth DeSalvo hope to provide by hosting free meals — "Dinner with The DeSalvos" — every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday from 5 to 7 p.m.
The dinners take place in the lot behind their small business, , a "hippie-style" clothing, art and gift shop/boutique at 3119 Brady St. in Davenport. "It's such a beautiful thing," JD said Thursday, also noting the 55th anniversary of Woodstock, in true Hippie Life fashion.
From left to right: Cody, Kevin and Angel Carr, of Davenport, enjoy walking tacos as a family during "Dinner with The DeSalvos" on Thursday, Aug. 15, hosted in the lot behind The Hippie Life, located at 3119 Brady St. in Davenport.
The DeSalvos started hosting these free community dinners three weeks ago as part of their nonprofit, " ," which assists those who need "help of any kind" — but the idea came on the fly. "We literally thought about it on a Saturday, and the next day, we were doin' it," JD said. "It's all about having fun and community.
"It's not us helping everybody," he added. "It's everybody helping each other." The DeSalvo's resale shop, (housed in The Hippie Life), funds most of the weekly meal costs.
Community members can also donate food items in bulk, or bring a servable dish to share. "You bring us stuff, we'll cook it," JD said Thursday, while serving walking tacos. "We're the middleman .
.. and everybody gets something with whatever is available.
" So far, the DeSalvos said their weekly dinners typically fluctuate between 35 and 55 guests — but to them, it's most rewarding to see tables "expand and grow" throughout the night. "We'll start with two or three people," JD said. "Then, we’ll see people on the phone and (later) the grandkids, maybe a couple of neighbors, start showing up and it's like a small little party going on.
That's what we want." As parents of four — and now grandparents of four — the DeSalvos know how expensive it can be for families to purchase groceries. Xavier Christian, of Davenport, eats a walking taco during "Dinner with The DeSalvos" on Thursday, Aug.
15. "That could be a (monthly) bill," Marideth said. Angel Carr lives on a fixed income due to a disability.
She and her family attended Thursday’s dinner with the DeSalvos. "You get halfway through the month and, yeah, that (grocery) money gets up there," Carr said. "So, this helps with those prices.
" Her family donates ingredients when they can, contributing one of Thursday's dessert items. "It's also nice to get to know their people and have company outside of our house," Carr said. "It helps put more food out there for other people, too.
" Marideth plans to start a GoFundMe soon to expand Dinner with The DeSalvos — namely, to make it mobile. "A lot of people need food delivered," she said. "So, we're trying to raise enough to (buy) a vehicle reliable enough to take things to people who can't get to us.
" Guests of the DeSalvos can take their meals to-go; eat in The Hippie Life's refurbished bus or its art shed, where their nonprofit's "creative therapy" sessions take place, or enjoy outdoor community seating. Xavier Christian, of Davenport, chose to eat his walking taco in the art shed. "I can’t turn down no good food," he said.
"I met JD a while back when I was going through a rough time. I started helping him out with little projects here and there, and it sort of became my little 'thing to do' ..
. I didn't want to be out doing anything crazy, you know?" He called the DeSalvos "a safe haven." Safety — more so, a sense of family — is exactly what JD and Marideth say they aim to provide through both their small business and nonprofit endeavors.
And to some, they've done exactly that. "They just bless people," Christian said. "I love JD to death .
.. it's to the point where I took him to meet my mom the other day.
" When he's not working shifts at the RiverCenter, Christian said he still helps the DeSalvos out with occasional projects. "It's sort of like my good deed for the day," he said. "Everything here (Hippie Life/Home of Grace) is just awesome.
" Marideth DeSalvo offers coffee to guests at "Dinner with The DeSalvos" on Thursday, Aug. 15, in the lot behind her and husband JD's small business, The Hippie Life. Tayja Clayton and Lee Ford chose to eat on the bus.
Ford too said JD had been a help in tough times. "He's helped me through a lot of personal times," Ford said. "Being around this place has helped a bunch, too.
" Ford and Clayton frequent The Hippie Life and say they appreciate having the community to rely on each week for a free, tasty meal. "They (DeSalvos) want to take care of all people around them, whether you're young or old," Clayton said. "It's a really good place to (be), knowing someone has your back like that.
" Marideth said often, the folks who may need a free meal one night later return with donations once they're "doing better." Or, like Christian, they might help out in any way they can. "It's a beautiful circle, really," she said.
"No matter what your circumstance is, we'll be there to try and help out ...
and if we can't, then we'll try to find the person who can." As the DeSalvos continue their weekly dinners, Marideth hopes to continue expanding The Home of Grace. "We really want to grow into other ventures," she said, such as hosting more weekly events and establishing a women's shelter down the road.
"We're just trying to get the stuff we have (work) smoothly ...
just make things nicer and complete some (internal) projects." Fundraising and grant-writing will be another key focus moving forward for the DeSalvos. In the meantime, they'll keep doing what they do best: helping people.
Especially those who need it. "You really can see and get to know (people) who just need a little help," around their Brady Street location, JD said. "All these folks are amazing.
" More information about The Home of Grace can be found on their Facebook page at or email . A "Warning: Hippies" sign is seen outside the lot behind The Hippie Life, a "hippie-style" clothing, art and gift shop/boutique on 3119 Brady St. in Davenport.
From left to right: Cody, Kevin and Angel Carr, of Davenport, enjoy walking tacos as a family during "Dinner with The DeSalvos" on Thursday, Aug. 15, hosted in the lot behind The Hippie Life, located at 3119 Brady St. in Davenport.
Xavier Christian, of Davenport, eats a walking taco during "Dinner with The DeSalvos" on Thursday, Aug. 15. Marideth DeSalvo offers coffee to guests at "Dinner with The DeSalvos" on Thursday, Aug.
15, in the lot behind her and husband JD's small business, The Hippie Life. Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.
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