Hero of the Day: Local NY Facebook group administrator becomes coronavirus savior
A social worker en route to deliver 48 meals for homebound, immunocompromised residents in Westchester was suddenly stranded on the side of I-95 with a broken-down car and only one place to turn.
The social worker immediately called Anne Richards, who went online and posted an urgent plea for help on a community Facebook group she runs for Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow.
“I needed someone to pick up and deliver 48 meals, I pressed post and immediately, I had six people raise their hands,” Richards, 55, told The Post.
“It’s the community that comes to task. I’m the conduit.”
Richards has been running the Facebook group for about six years and amid the coronavirus crisis, has risen as a local leader residents can call on. She keeps a cadre of steady volunteers in her back pocket who help her coordinate food deliveries and connect residents to resources.
Sometimes, Richards is there to just lend a virtual shoulder to cry on.
“There is always a need for something. Some are simple asks, and some are very complex and very urgent. When I get a message or a call, I never know what this message or a call will bring, whether I’ll know the answer,” Richards explained.
“It’s very difficult for a lot of people to ask for help. In this situation, people who need assistance didn’t need assistance six weeks ago. … We all need a hand up sometimes. If we can’t support each other, then what do we have?”
With that in mind, Richards goes to great lengths to keep the work discreet.
“The dignity of a family must be respected,” she said.
For example, when a meal drop-off is requested, she’ll give the volunteers delivering the grub only an address, no names.
Richards is busy offering help “everyday” and it gets to the point where her family has to rip “the phone out of my hand or else I’ll fall asleep with it.”
Richards doesn’t always immediately have an answer for everything, but she doesn’t stop trying until she finds one.
“It’s like throwing spaghetti at the wall. I need somebody to do this. I don’t take no for an answer,” Richards said. “Someone might say no, but they might have an idea where to go next.”
At times people call for help on how to navigate a pending eviction or for advice about a family member who’s severely ill. When she’s not helping those residents, she’s a moderator for two other Facebook pages related to COVID-19 where she works to stop misinformation on the virus.
Richards developed a passion for giving back when her son suffered a traumatic brain injury after a devastating 2007 car crash.
“People stepped up to my side and helped me up through the darkest moments of my life,” Richards recalled.
“I aspire to be the stranger who is always there, who will help, who will find help. It’s an honor.”
Do you have a nominee for The Post’s Hero of the Day? E-mail heroes@nypost.com.