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Homeless Sandwich Run

By Bob Riggle

Somewhere near Chicago is a storage facility where a crack group of dedicated and very practiced individuals headed by Jim and Virginia Proffitt takes care of business. It's Sunday, 12:00 p.m., and this is the place where it all begins. A fast-paced regimen, with flying mayo and shredded lettuce, 51 Sundays every year for almost 15 years now. I'm referring to the Homeless Sandwich Run in Chicago.

In about one to two hours over a thousand sandwiches are thrown together, wrapped and bagged. Along with treats and soda, they are later distributed to some of downtown Chicago's homeless. It's estimated that at least 35 to 40 percent of these are veterans. Jim Proffitt, who along with his wife Virginia began this program 15 years ago in their kitchen, figures they serve about 750 people per week. To think it all began with 30 sandwiches, a small pot of coffee, and an idea of giving back to some of those on the streets of Chicago.

This well-oiled operation involves members of the local VietNow chapter in Villa Park, Illinois, students from Driscoll Catholic High School, and people from DuPage County Probation with community service hours to perform. Anyone fortunate to have helped at the Chicago standdowns is familiar with the great job VietNow always does preparing the meals. Some have even had firsthand experience helping with a scaled-down version of the Sandwich Run.

As with all charitable undertakings, it's not cheap, nor are the things you'd like always available. VietNow's national office provides a grant of $800 per month, but materials for the lunches cost about $300 every two weeks. With 51,450 sandwiches served in 2002 and 56,100 in 2003, you can see it doesn't go too far. Along with the lunches, clothing, blankets and hygiene products are also distributed. Kind of like a rolling standdown without the medical and career services.

Okay, we've got the van loaded and it's time to hit the streets of downtown Chicago. With our mission of "Veterans Helping Americans," we hit west of the Loop, lower Wacker, and Maxwell Street. At designated stops on our route there are as few as ten or as many as eighty homeless persons. We stop at a past-prime men's hotel, a few under-the-bridge hangouts, and even outside the VA building. If things go well timewise, we arrive at Pacific Garden Mission at about 5:30 to serve a hot meal to the residents that the mission has prepared. We even get a meal if there is food and time left. While the day is over for me, not so for Proffitt and his merry band (yes, they do all enjoy it). The last part of the run takes until about 10:00 p.m. That's ten hours, minimum, fifty-one times every year. Simply amazing!

Okay, here's the part you knew was gonna come. Volunteers are always welcome, especially during the summer. Donations of foodstuffs, clothing, blankets, shoes and hygiene products are never in enough supply. Oh yeah, and money. Money always works. If you're in a position to donate time or anything of need, please contact Jim or Virginia Proffitt at (630) 462-1541 or (630) 209-7242.