Coronavirus

Coronavirus Update: Good Samaritan helps New Jersey neighbors with grocery runs amid coronavirus

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Good Samaritan helps New Jersey neighbors with grocery runs amid coronavirus

Toni Yates reports on the good Samaritan helping out residents in New Jersey during the coronavirus outbreak.

BLOOMFIELD, New Jersey (WABC) -- Abraham Dickerson has stepped up in the COVID-19 crisis for his fellow residents in Bloomfield, New Jersey.

He goes from one grocery store to another, not for himself, but for others who should not be out.

"Why did I start? Because I care," Dickerson said. I didn't want to see anyone go hungry or possibly risk their life going to get food."

Barbara Brooks lives in a senior housing tower and suffers from asthma, and at her age, she's been told to keep her distance from others as much as possible. But she also needs her water, and Abraham is on the way.

"It means that someone cares," Brooks said. "I'm almost out of breath."

So Dickerson drives and drives and answers calls for deliveries.

"He's not asking for anything, he's not expecting anything, he's not taking anything," resident Dr. Adeleri Onisegun said.

Dr. Onisegun, a part-time professor at Bloomfield College, is inside her home self isolating, and she waited until Eyewitness News was clear away from the porch to retrieve her delivery.

"I try to say, 'Can I give you something?'" she said. "He says no, this is the way he was raised. So that means quite a bit. It shows a level of compassion that we wish everyone had."

His days are getting longer because his client list is growing. He's one man, giving his time from his heart.

"For me, it's more therapeutic doing it than receiving it," Dickerson said.