Best views, weather, etc. How to test them 👓 SC, Ala. sites look back Betty Ford honored
NEWS
Salvation Army

700,000 sandwiches later, this man is still helping the homeless

Boyd Huppert
KARE
Allan Law, a retired Minneapolis teacher, hands out food and toiletries from the back of his van to people staying in the Salvation Army shelter in downtown Minneapolis.

MINNEAPOLIS – Maybe it's the 17 freezers he keeps running in his apartment, or his nodding eyes from lack of sleep.

Spend a few hours with Allan Law and you start to realize a little crazy comes with his kindness.

"It's stupid," Law agrees. "Last night I got no sleep out in the streets, but I slept two hours today."

Next week, the Minnesotan known as the "Sandwich Man" will be honored by Minneapolis Rotary for his efforts on behalf of homeless people.

"He's very driven, he's really very serious about the work that he does," says Jeff Strickler, Twin Cities commander of the Salvation Army.

Law started serving disadvantaged Minnesotans while still a teacher

for Minneapolis Public Schools. His efforts hit high gear when he retired 16 years ago.

Working out of the van he drives through the night, last year Law handed out more than 700,000 sandwiches, 7,000 pair of socks and 75,000 bus tokens.

Some of his work is funded by his teaching pension, the rest is covered by donations to his non-profit organization, Minneapolis Recreation Development.

"I never complain," Law says. "I don't have to do it, I could quit right now, and I never will quit, ever, as long as I'm alive."

Those 17 freezers in his apartment store sandwiches made by 800 church, business, and civic groups each year.

Law delivers some of the sandwiches for distribution by shelters, others he hands out by himself. "I bring sandwiches so not only will they have something to eat, but when they leave in the morning they can take a couple sandwiches with them."

He also makes the rounds to gas stations during the night, collecting food that would otherwise go into dumpsters, for quick distribution to the homeless.

"Sometimes I get emotional," Law says. "Somebody has to care."

Here at the USA TODAY network, not only do we want to provide you with the current events of the day, but also a little dose of inspiration while you're getting your news fix. Inspiration Nation is our way of providing you with that jolt of good news to bring a smile to your day.

Featured Weekly Ad