On a recent cold and windy day in Indianapolis, heavy rain poured down without mercy.
However, local resident Bryan Williams was not fazed by it, although he only had a baseball cap and a thin jacket shielding him from threats of a thunderstorm.
“Water don’t hurt,” he said with a reassuring smile.
Williams was among hundreds of people who stood in line Saturday for the Thanksgiving giveaway at Dalton’s Food Pantry.
That line stretched for more than a block as people endured unpleasant weather to approach the pantry, which is located in the Haughville area on the near-west side of Indianapolis. Yet like Williams, most of them stayed positive, because they knew a blessing was ready for them.
Williams was given a large box full of food items that could likely last him for the rest of the month. Quietly, the middle-aged man, who has lived in the Haughville area since 1994, placed his box on a dolly and began walking home.
“It’s good to have this here,” Williams said in an appreciative tone that seemed to underscore the word “thanksgiving” and the purpose of its namesake holiday.
Start of a miracle
For more than a decade, Dalton’s Food Pantry has been giving out food, clothes and other essentials to many individuals every month. Attendance is even higher for the Thanksgiving initiative, with more people coming from all over the city.
Demand for the pantry’s services is high in its home neighborhood of Haughville, a once-thriving area that has dealt with more than its fair share of troublesome crime rates and deteriorating housing, although a new wave of property renovation has gradually emerged.
In recent years, the near-west side of the city, which includes Haughville, has been listed by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department as having higher-than-average rates of deadly crime.
However, the neighborhood’s challenges have not broken the spirit of its past and present residents, who take pride in “Haughville USA” and see hope in the unity of people working together to revitalize it.
One of them is J.R. Dalton, founder and owner of J.R.’s Used Tires, a popular enterprise with two locations, one on West Washington Street and one on West 10th Street. He once lived among the racially diverse community in Haughville, and his experiences there helped shape him into a highly successful businessman.
“I grew up in this community,” said Dalton, who operates with not only the firm confidence of a CEO, but also the calming warmth and ready humor of a wise minister. “It has been good to me and my family, and we wanted to do something to give back.”
Dalton noted that after a phase of “chasing money, real estate, women and basketball,” he became a dedicated Christian and began to follow the faith’s principle of giving 10 percent of one’s income to churches and charities. Dalton teamed up with other reliable donors to open the food pantry and Amazing Grace, a “safe place” that offers Bible study, positive activities and tutoring for youth ages 2–18.
However, Dalton is quick to point out that he, the donors and even the ministry’s committed volunteers should not be in the spotlight.
“This is not about us,” Dalton said. “It’s about Christ and following his direction by being a blessing to others.”
In fact, despite its massive monthly contributions to the community, Dalton’s Food Pantry is rarely in the news, because it does not seek media coverage.
However, many of the people who need its services know exactly where to find it, and they were there in droves this past Saturday, an unforgettable mosaic of Black, Hispanic and white faces, looking forward to early Thanksgiving meals they may have otherwise missed out on. They included the young and old, men and women, those who have homes and those who do not. Most came alone, although some arrived with children.
One man was seen using much effort to pull a wagon with a broken wheel across busy Tibbs Avenue, determined to get food home to his family as drivers patiently waited for him to cross.
Most people came on foot from nearby locations, while others braved the bad weather to drive to the pantry.
Earlier, anticipation had built up among them as Dalton and pantry volunteers gathered for prayer and welcoming statements then began handing out bags and boxes of food from trucks.
Everything started at 8 a.m., and so many people arrived that items were still being given out more than an hour after the pantry’s scheduled 11 a.m. closing time.
Vella Wilson arrived with friends around 7 a.m. and said the wait was ultimately worth it. She left with a box of food for her family so large that assistance was needed to load it into a car.
“We are blessed to have good people contributing like this,” Wilson said. “I came here for the turkey and left with much more.”
Danny Marquez told the Recorder that the work of Dalton’s Food Pantry is as beneficial to volunteers like him as it is to the recipients they serve.
“It feels good just to be able to be able to put a smile on someone’s face and reach out to them with the love of Christ,” Marquez said.
As the downpour of rain calmed, participants who were still around gathered in the pantry’s large garage for a closing prayer conducted by Dalton. He encouraged volunteers and meal recipients alike to carry the love of Christ beyond the pantry’s lot each day by asking the question, “What have I done for God today?”
Tina Jones and her brother, Melvin Winston, heeded that advice by not only seeking meals for themselves, but also collecting items for their sister and her children.
“Our family has had a lot of loss lately, so this blessing is right on time,” said Jones. “It is a blessing not only to us, but to this community.”
For information about the services of Dalton’s Food Pantry or to become a donor or volunteer, visit daltonsfoodpantry.com or call 317-955-2581.
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