Greg Dailey is a small business owner who owns and runs ’Frames on Main’ in Chatham, in central New Jersey, who supplements his income by delivering newspapers in Mercer County .
He’s used to getting up at 4:00am every morning since he’s been doing it for 25 years.
He has over 800 homes on his route.
In mid- March, one of his long time customers, 88 year old Phyllis Ross, asked him if he wouldn’t mind leaving the paper near her door as the 25 foot walk to the lawn was so trying on her.
She was scared to go that far because of the coronavirus.
That evening whilst he was at the grocery store, it came to him.
"I went to the store and I thought to myself, 'How in the world is she going to get groceries.'"
“This woman is afraid to walk even a few steps out of her home. How in the world, with the coronavirus leaving many seniors afraid to even open the door to their homes, was she getting groceries?”
The next morning, after his route, he called her and asked if he could be of service.
Said Phyllis, "We were absolutely floored when he called.
At my age, I'm afraid to go into a store."
Whilst at the store, Phyllis called him and asked him if he wouldn’t mind getting a few things for her elderly neighbor.
“Can you pick up something for Mrs. Miller across the street?”
And there and then, Greg realized how scared so many of the elderly, disabled and comprised actually were, and how dire the situation really was.
So that evening, he typed out this message which he made 800 copies of and put in each newspaper.
And it said…
"Within a few hours, it became clear the need was overwhelming."
And he knew that he had to enlist reinforcements…..his family.
From GMA...
It was all-hands-on-deck at the Dailey household. Daughter, Erin, 24, began organizing the orders into an Excel sheet. Dailey's wife, Cherlyn, 48, ordered items ahead to save time. Sons, Sean, 21, and Brian, 16, were enlisted to carry groceries.
The Dailey clan began their task March 21 and, as of Wednesday, had delivered groceries to at least 52 homes in need. They normally spend seven hours each day compiling lists, shopping, disinfecting items and, most importantly, delivering.
Yup, Every. Single. Item. is disinfected by his family before it's delivered.
In the preceding months, more and more of those in need have asked him for assistance.
And the answer is always, Yes, of course!
And it isn’t just groceries.
“Times are tough. Some of us should not be out of the house at all, 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.’”
And when asked how long he planned to do it?
“We are at the very beginning of this. It’s going to be months.
We are going to do everything we can to help people get through it.
Everyone is so grateful.
It's one of the most rewarding things I've ever done in my life.”
Yes.
They walk amongst us.
And we have that spark within each of us.
Each to our own degree.
We will get through this.
Stronger.
Together.