VietNow National Magazine

Jim Proffitt on Chicago's Clark Street, calling the guys to get their lunches.

Every Weekend for How Many Years???

Every weekend for how many years? Every weekend. Every Saturday. Every Sunday. For well over 10 years now. In one year we distributed a huge amount of clothing, soaps, toothbrushes, blankets, coats, etc. to homeless people on the streets. Thanks to VietNow National, we were able to pass out over 500 blankets from the Department of Defense.

Handing out lunches on the streets of Chicago.

Other people donated blankets and sleeping bags. Jack & Wilma came in from Ohio with a pickup truck pulling a trailer to deliver a lot of clothing. We have also received a great deal of personal items such as soap, shampoo, lotion, toothbrushes, and toothpaste this year, especially pallets of shampoo and conditioner.

Many people have been very helpful, collecting clothes, hats, and gloves. Many have been coming on Saturday to help pre-set the lunches and then again on Sunday to make the sandwiches. Some have even gone on the run with us.

Along with a lot of time and a lot of love, it takes a lot of food to make all those meals, including those 45,418 sandwiches.

Meat 4,008 pounds
Cheese 2,693 pounds
Lettuce 972 heads
Drinks 22,709
Snacks 45,418
Paper Bags 22,709
Plastic Bags 81,875
Milk / Cream 91 gallons
Mayonnaise 165 gallons
Sugar 286 pounds
Coffee 242 pounds
Cups 22,709
Bread (16 oz. Loaves) 4,515
Hot Dogs and Buns 3,120
Ketchup/Mustard 4 gallons
Aluminum Foil 2,000 feet

VietNow National provides new wheels

The truck on the day the VietNow National Board of Directors turned it over to the National Homeless Committee. After a new paint job and some sprucing up, it's now a truck with a mission.

Over 10 years ago, this past Thanksgiving, Jim Proffitt packed up 30 sandwiches and a thermos of coffee and drove to the “Loop” in Chicago. His goal was to make Thanksgiving just a little brighter for a few homeless veterans. Today, Profitt’s Homeless Committee consists of a group of volunteers who, each Sunday, provide over 900 sandwiches, snacks, juice drinks, coffee and clothing to the people on the street.

Over the years, one of the main hurdles that this committee has faced is finding reliable transportation to complete their weekly mission. All too often their vehicles have been too small and of questionable mechanical reliability. They were often forced to improvise at the last minute when the van would break down or have a flat tire during some part of their “sandwich run.”

In January 2000 we bought a “box”-style van for the use of the “sandwich run.” The van was taken to Metal Specialties body shop in Dixon, Illinois for a donated lettering job. This led to the van being called VietNow’s rolling billboard. At the February National Board meeting, the keys to the van were officially turned over to the Homeless Committee.

Since then, the van has been a work in progress. It is constantly being customized and tweaked for maximum efficiency. The Sunday runs can now transport the sack lunches with ease and reliability. Also, the Homeless Committee is now able to carry a categorized and grouped array of clothing for distribution.

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VietNow National
1835 Broadway – Rockford, Illinois 61104
800.837.VNOW – 815.227.5100
vnnatl@inwave.com

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