A newspaper deliveryman has picked up groceries for people in need more than 900 times since the start of the pandemic

• Greg Dailey is a newspaper deliveryman from East Windsor, New Jersey.
• After completing his delivery route one morning in March, one of his older clients called to ask if he could deliver her paper closer to her door since she had trouble reaching the sidewalk.
• The moment inspired Dailey to deliver groceries to people in need, using his newspaper route to connect with seniors and at-risk people in the community.
• Dailey said that with the help of his family and volunteers, he's delivered groceries more than 900 times since he started in mid-March.

Greg Dailey has been delivering newspapers in East Windsor, New Jersey, for 25 years.

Recently, his role took on new importance as his route led him to a way to help people in need.

After completing his route — which is a community where many residents are in their 80s and 90s — one day in mid-March, Dailey received a call from an elderly woman whose house is on the delivery route. She asked if he could drop her paper closer to her door, as it was hard for her to reach the sidewalk.

A few days later, while shopping at his local grocery store, Dailey called her to ask if she needed anything.

"My thought process was that if she's struggling to get the newspaper from the sidewalk, how is she getting anything else done?" Dailey told Insider.

She gave Dailey a list of items to buy and called back while he was checking out to see if he could pick something up for her neighbor, too.

Dailey used his newspaper delivery route to connect with people in need of groceries

After initially buying groceries for one of his customers, Dailey decided to put inserts, where he introduced himself and offered free grocery delivery services, in all 800 of the papers he delivered each morning.

Since he first put the notes in his newspapers on March 21, Dailey has made more than 900 grocery deliveries to older and at-risk people in his community.

"Other than delivering papers, I had no relationship with these customers. That has changed considerably," he said.

Many of his customers were not able to get deliveries from Instacart and other grocery delivery services, which were inundated with orders.

One of his customers, Eileen Stein, told Insider that Dailey has helped bring the community together.

Stein added that though it has been wonderful to have someone deliver her groceries, what has been even better is the relationship that she has developed with him.

Dailey said he has no plans to stop his community delivery services

Dailey started volunteering with his daughter, Erin, but he's since been joined by his son-in-law and mother-in-law. He now has 12 volunteers, which he needs since he is back to working part-time at his frame shop.

However, Dailey still does many of the deliveries himself, since he has developed a relationship with his customers.

"I sit there and talk to them. It's become more than just a shopping and delivery service," he said.

Though he knows the pandemic will end, Dailey plans on continuing his grocery delivery service, and even wants to expand his services to include other ways to help seniors and those who are at-risk.

"I just really enjoy helping these people," he said.

• Read more:
• 16 heartwarming ways everyday heroes are helping people affected by coronavirus
• Loneliness is a big risk for older people stuck at home. Here's how to connect with seniors when you can't be together in person.
• A running list of where to buy groceries online when your local store is out of stock