Wareham Taxi surprises residents with groceries
Taxi driver Bill Gropman, whose wife, Judy, owns Wareham Taxi, decided several months ago that he wanted to do something to help out the less-fortunate this holiday season.
"I've had a few health problems myself the past year," Gropman explained. "I'm fortunate enough that I can fend for myself, but a lot of people can't."
So Gropman, along with his fellow taxi drivers, have been delivering one bag of groceries per day, since the beginning of November, to someone whose pantry could use the extra goods.
Gropman dubbed the initiative, "Be a Good Neighbor," or BAGN (pronounced "bag-in").
"We drive a lot of people who are in [difficult] situation[s]," Gropman said was one of the reasons he felt compelled to help.
Drivers purchase dry goods like cereal, cans of tuna, and soup, and deliver them on their own time. Wareham Taxi picks up the tab.
"Every one of the drivers has delivered a bag," Gropman said. "Everybody's getting into the holiday spirit."
Be a Good Neighbor isn't meant to replace grocery shopping, it's just to provide a little boost to those who need it.
"We try to get stuff that would be a backup to what [recipients] normally have," Gropman said.
Recipients, most of whom have been from Wareham and Onset, have been nominated by the taxi drivers thus far. But if the program is successful, nominations may be solicited from the community.
Gropman thanked his drivers for participating, especially driver John Brennan, who created a website, www.beagoodneighbor.org, to spread the word about BAGN.
Gropman said recipients have been very surprised and thankful when the drivers have showed up at their doors with the bags of food.
"It's a little helping hand," Gropman said. "Every little bit can help."
For more information about BAGN, visit www.beagoodneighbor.org.