#Newspaper delivery man got groceries for seniors over 900 times during pandemic

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Greg Dailey
delivers food to customer Evie Forman.
Courtesy Greg Dailey

A man who has delivered newspapers to the same New Jersey community for 25 years has added grocery orders to his route.

Greg Dailey, 50, received a call in March from one of the many elderly residents of East Windsor, asking if he could bring the paper closer to to the ailing woman’s door.

The self-proclaimed “shy guy” was more than prepared to oblige. A few days later, during a personal run to ShopRite, he called her back.

“My thought process was that if she’s struggling to get the newspaper from the sidewalk, how is she getting anything else done?” he told Insider. Dailey then offered to bring groceries to the 88-year-old woman, as well as to a friend across the street.

Soon, one favor quickly grew into a community volunteer network.

Dailey, who also runs a framing shop that was closed due to the pandemic, decided that he had time after his newspaper-delivery shift ends at 7 a.m. to go to the supermarket, then retrace his delivery route with the goods. To spread the word, he stuffed flyers into the newspapers of his 450 customers.

They read, according to NJ.com, “My name is Greg Dailey and I deliver your newspaper every morning. I understand during these trying times it is difficult for some to get out of their house to get everyday necessities. I would like to offer my services free of charge to anyone who needs groceries, household products, etc. I will be shopping at ShopRite and McCaffrey’s and can deliver the goods directly to your front door.”

Since the day they were handed out, on March 21, Dailey has now made more than 900 deliveries to at-risk households in his hometown.

“They need produce. They need medicine. They need toiletries. I told one of the gentlemen, ‘I can stop at the liquor store if you want.’ His eyes went wide,” he said.

Soon after he launched the charity tour, offers came pouring in to help. Some offered to pay his gas or buy groceries for customers who need it. He also got his wife, three children and mother-in-law involved. These days, he’s up to 12 volunteers, which leaves him time to begin reopening his frame shop.

“I sit there and talk to them. It’s become more than just a shopping and delivery service,” said Dailey, who admitted that he’s expanded the service to those who aren’t on his paper route, too.

“I just really enjoy helping these people,” he said.