Comments on: The United Homeless Organization http://virtualobscurity.com/2006/05/the-united-homeless-organization/ Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:43:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Hal http://virtualobscurity.com/2006/05/the-united-homeless-organization/#comment-166 Hal Thu, 21 Aug 2008 23:38:04 +0000 http://www.virtualobscurity.com/?p=25#comment-166 I've been homeless for over 18 months. My story is not what most people suspect of a homeless individual. I entered the shelter system in Feb of 2007 and I will tell you this...UHO is a LOT more "legitimate" than most of what passes for nonprofits with mandates to help the homeless. Yes, the money you give, minus 15 bucks goes directly to the homeless individual involved. Some people see this as a problem and a scam. Truth be told, the scam is the one perpertrated by the so called social services whether they be government run or non profits that are in cahoots. How much of your money goes to feeding a beauracracy that ends up helping so few? The bottom line people is that the system feeds itself. It has no reason to eradicate homelessness because if it did it there wouldn't be any need for the system, hence thousands of people would be out of jobs. And that's just some of what I've seen. HelpUSA, one of the socalled legitimate non profits (www.helpusa.org) is a joke. Your hair would stand up on end if I told you the way homeless people are treated in their shelters. There is so little honesty, so little respect. It literally makes me sick the way they treat their "clients". Housing? If you call three quarter houses where there are literally 8 men in a room (and the landlord getting 215 a month EACH from public assistance) housing then ok. Ok, done ranting. But if you want to ask more, feel free to email me at coachharold@gmail.com and I'd LOVE to tell you more. Hal I’ve been homeless for over 18 months. My story is not what most people suspect of a homeless individual. I entered the shelter system in Feb of 2007 and I will tell you this…UHO is a LOT more “legitimate” than most of what passes for nonprofits with mandates to help the homeless.

Yes, the money you give, minus 15 bucks goes directly to the homeless individual involved. Some people see this as a problem and a scam. Truth be told, the scam is the one perpertrated by the so called social services whether they be government run or non profits that are in cahoots. How much of your money goes to feeding a beauracracy that ends up helping so few? The bottom line people is that the system feeds itself. It has no reason to eradicate homelessness because if it did it there wouldn’t be any need for the system, hence thousands of people would be out of jobs.

And that’s just some of what I’ve seen. HelpUSA, one of the socalled legitimate non profits (www.helpusa.org) is a joke. Your hair would stand up on end if I told you the way homeless people are treated in their shelters. There is so little honesty, so little respect. It literally makes me sick the way they treat their “clients”. Housing? If you call three quarter houses where there are literally 8 men in a room (and the landlord getting 215 a month EACH from public assistance) housing then ok.

Ok, done ranting. But if you want to ask more, feel free to email me at coachharold@gmail.com and I’d LOVE to tell you more.

Hal

]]> By: Jessica http://virtualobscurity.com/2006/05/the-united-homeless-organization/#comment-162 Jessica Tue, 05 Aug 2008 20:56:57 +0000 http://www.virtualobscurity.com/?p=25#comment-162 It's a shame that this "organization" doesn't help the homeless community as a whole. It really is a good idea. It's basically the same thing as stretching out your hat or your hand for some change. Most people would rather give to the homeless as a "whole" rather than on every corner. Personally, I don't give my money to homeless people only because you can never be too sure of where it goes. I have however, lots of times, given food to the homeless, I even asked a homeless teen to accompany me for lunch one afternoon. UHO would be a beautiful idea if it was legitimized. It’s a shame that this “organization” doesn’t help the homeless community as a whole. It really is a good idea. It’s basically the same thing as stretching out your hat or your hand for some change. Most people would rather give to the homeless as a “whole” rather than on every corner.
Personally, I don’t give my money to homeless people only because you can never be too sure of where it goes. I have however, lots of times, given food to the homeless, I even asked a homeless teen to accompany me for lunch one afternoon. UHO would be a beautiful idea if it was legitimized.

]]> By: Some New Yorker http://virtualobscurity.com/2006/05/the-united-homeless-organization/#comment-161 Some New Yorker Sun, 03 Aug 2008 04:03:20 +0000 http://www.virtualobscurity.com/?p=25#comment-161 Matt, The problem is that this organization does not appear to really help the homeless community as a whole. If most of the people who looked into this are right, the "United Homeless Organization" seems to consist of one main member (Stephen Riley, apparently) and a bunch of homeless/once homeless people who panhandle for him in exchange for payment of a $15 fee per shift. So he's using the claim "helping the homeless" disingenuously. It implies assistance to "the homeless", but in reality, it only helps THAT particular homeless person. It's deceitful, and I feel pissed, because I donated to them in the past. Real homeless organizations like "The Bowery Mission" and "The Coalition for the Homeless" offer programs, food, clothing, etc. I don't see any services from the UHO other than a fee splitting agreement and a few free sandwiches they generally carry around. Matt,
The problem is that this organization does not appear to really help the homeless community as a whole. If most of the people who looked into this are right, the “United Homeless Organization” seems to consist of one main member (Stephen Riley, apparently) and a bunch of homeless/once homeless people who panhandle for him in exchange for payment of a $15 fee per shift.

So he’s using the claim “helping the homeless” disingenuously. It implies assistance to “the homeless”, but in reality, it only helps THAT particular homeless person. It’s deceitful, and I feel pissed, because I donated to them in the past.

Real homeless organizations like “The Bowery Mission” and “The Coalition for the Homeless” offer programs, food, clothing, etc. I don’t see any services from the UHO other than a fee splitting agreement and a few free sandwiches they generally carry around.

]]> By: piso http://virtualobscurity.com/2006/05/the-united-homeless-organization/#comment-160 piso Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:34:01 +0000 http://www.virtualobscurity.com/?p=25#comment-160 What about the guy on the 4 train. I have sandwiches and food for the homeless. He gives a big speach announcing he is from UHO. The food is in a plastic bodega bag? Should;nt the food be in a cooler. Is is healping the homeless or is he giving them food poisioning? Plus is the money actually for the UHO or himself? I would love to follow this guy to see where he spends the money. What about the guy on the 4 train. I have sandwiches and food for the homeless. He gives a big speach announcing he is from UHO. The food is in a plastic bodega bag? Should;nt the food be in a cooler. Is is healping the homeless or is he giving them food poisioning? Plus is the money actually for the UHO or himself?

I would love to follow this guy to see where he spends the money.

]]> By: Matt http://virtualobscurity.com/2006/05/the-united-homeless-organization/#comment-157 Matt Thu, 10 Jul 2008 22:33:06 +0000 http://www.virtualobscurity.com/?p=25#comment-157 Razorweb, I can't imagine a better way to help "the homeless" ( I quote in reference to your differentiation between "the homeless" and "this homeless guy") than to directly provide them with aid. Care to share your ideas? How much greater of an impact do you think making the same sized donation (let's say 50 cents or a buck) to a more centralized, reputable in the eyes of the NY Post charity would have? Why do you believe it is wrong for those who run the UHO to profit off of a system that as you said allows the homeless or formerly so to panhandle under the banner of the UHO? Thanks for answering my questions. Razorweb, I can’t imagine a better way to help “the homeless” ( I quote in reference to your differentiation between “the homeless” and “this homeless guy”) than to directly provide them with aid. Care to share your ideas? How much greater of an impact do you think making the same sized donation (let’s say 50 cents or a buck) to a more centralized, reputable in the eyes of the NY Post charity would have? Why do you believe it is wrong for those who run the UHO to profit off of a system that as you said allows the homeless or formerly so to panhandle under the banner of the UHO? Thanks for answering my questions.

]]> By: Nolan http://virtualobscurity.com/2006/05/the-united-homeless-organization/#comment-132 Nolan Tue, 19 Feb 2008 18:40:47 +0000 http://www.virtualobscurity.com/?p=25#comment-132 I always suspected UHO of being a scam. Thanks for confirming it. My first hints were when the website didn't work and the poor quality/consistency of the set up they have on the streets. I always suspected UHO of being a scam. Thanks for confirming it. My first hints were when the website didn’t work and the poor quality/consistency of the set up they have on the streets.

]]> By: razorweb http://virtualobscurity.com/2006/05/the-united-homeless-organization/#comment-124 razorweb Tue, 15 Jan 2008 14:02:14 +0000 http://www.virtualobscurity.com/?p=25#comment-124 yah, so basically you are agreeing that you as a worker keep most of the money and the UHO actually gets a tiny percentage (which probably covers only overhead (i.e. salaries of people who don't do shit)) which little of, if any, goes to homeless people. The key is that you're not helping "the homeless," just the homeless guy yelling on the street. its a deceptive practice, and therefore a scam. UHO is a total scam. yah, so basically you are agreeing that you as a worker keep most of the money and the UHO actually gets a tiny percentage (which probably covers only overhead (i.e. salaries of people who don’t do shit)) which little of, if any, goes to homeless people. The key is that you’re not helping “the homeless,” just the homeless guy yelling on the street. its a deceptive practice, and therefore a scam.

UHO is a total scam.

]]> By: Wayne http://virtualobscurity.com/2006/05/the-united-homeless-organization/#comment-123 Wayne Tue, 15 Jan 2008 08:23:34 +0000 http://www.virtualobscurity.com/?p=25#comment-123 UHO is not a scam... I have worked in the program.. It provides emergency monies for people living on the streets and for formerly homeless person to advocate for the homeless. Unless you have been homeless yourself it is very hard to grasp the concept. So as a homeless person I feel great when I am able to buy something to eat, take a shower, buy my personals soap, toothpaste and clean undergarments And also talk to and help another homeless person. It is more than money in a waterjug its outreach to those who can't help themselves. . this program has provided me with valuable information to better myself. There are thousads of homelss persons that dont receive traditional social services. This program UHO is not a scam… I have worked in the program.. It provides emergency monies for people living on the streets and for formerly homeless person to advocate for the homeless. Unless you have been homeless yourself it is very hard to grasp the concept. So as a homeless person I feel great when I am able to buy something to eat, take a shower, buy my personals soap, toothpaste and clean undergarments And also talk to and help another homeless person. It is more than money in a waterjug its outreach to those who can’t help themselves.
. this program has provided me with valuable information to better myself. There are thousads of homelss persons that dont receive traditional social services. This program

]]> By: Kevin http://virtualobscurity.com/2006/05/the-united-homeless-organization/#comment-3 Kevin Sun, 07 Jan 2007 07:02:09 +0000 http://www.virtualobscurity.com/?p=25#comment-3 You are absolutely correct. UHO is a scam. You can obtain their IRS forms from www.guidestar.org. They take in revenues in the form of fees, essentially, for letting panhandlers use their name, and they have expenses, i.e., Stephen Riley's vehicles, Stephen Riley's computer, Stephen Riley's phone, etc. But they don't have any program expenses because...they don't have any programs! Kind of odd for a charity, don't you think? You are absolutely correct. UHO is a scam. You can obtain their IRS forms from http://www.guidestar.org. They take in revenues in the form of fees, essentially, for letting panhandlers use their name, and they have expenses, i.e., Stephen Riley’s vehicles, Stephen Riley’s computer, Stephen Riley’s phone, etc. But they don’t have any program expenses because…they don’t have any programs! Kind of odd for a charity, don’t you think?

]]>