Always Wondered, Never Figured, Still Incunclusive
[NOTE: this entry is a little long and somewhat confusing]
Walk along any New York City street and your likely to find a United Homeless Organization (UHO) table set up waiting for your hand out. If you've never seen one, look for a folding table complete with big plastic jug, red or white table cloth, and an official looking logo. Every time I pass, the question begs, "What is UHO?" "Am I supposed to be giving them money?" "Is it actually an organization." "Is it run by the homeless?"
I spent a little time on the interweb and came across this:
On Democracy Now (DN) (http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=03/04/07/0219252) and the Village Voice (VV) (http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0148,friedman,30289,1.html) I found articles that talk about an organization called the United Homeless Organization. This seemingly gives UHO credence, because it is cited in such established media outlets. Both web articles describe how UHO helped in the search following 9/11, documenting lost homeless people. A tricky bunch to follow seeing as the homeless do not have a conventional family or support system.
The VV article provides a link to the UHO website (www.unitedhomelessorganization.COM) that does not work. On the DN website, they link to the UHO through this address (http://www.blackplanetradio.50megs.com/uho.html). After clicking through a few pages, one is directed to a "donation page," where there isn't actually a place to donate. This web address is not the one posted on UHO donation tables throughout the city. If memory serves me correct, the address given is (www.unitedhomelessorganization.ORG). This address and the address hot-linked on DN both lead to the same web page (http://www.altrue.net/site/uho/). Note, the VV and DN provide two different web sites for the same organization.
Other information I found regarding UHO was from the website (www.VirtualObscurity.com). Virtual Obscurity, as far as I can tell, is just some guys blog...some guy like me. They claim the UHO is a scam, more or less an organized form of pan handling. People get to use the name and logo to acquire money under a seemingly legit organization, the UHO. They give a small portion of their "proceeds" to the "organization" and keep the rest. Virtual Obscurity provides a link to an "IRS form" proving UHO's supposed corruptness (I clicked on the link but didn't find the form). They also claim that UHO doesn't actually provide any programs for homeless. All UHO provides is a name to pan handle under.
Another web site, Wiretap (http://www.wiretapmag.com/stories/16987/) (cannot assess validity) explains essentially what Virtual Obscurity does, except Wiretap describes this in a good light:
"On their first day working, a person will train with someone...at a table. [They are shown] by example how to ask for a donation. At the end of [their first] shift they receive half of whatever was collected. [Subsequent shifts, a] $15.00 fee is charged [by UHO]...A person can disappear for days at a time, then return when they feel the need to work."
Wiretap also speaks of Stephen J. Riley, the head of UHO, wanting to build the organization and raise enough money to "be the first homeless organization that owns its own building...The building would be used to house homeless people and give them a place to sleep, especially during cold winter months."
Bottom line, the UHO remains somewhat of a mystery. If you donate with the intention of helping the greater good, it seems that you've been misled. However, the money is going to a homeless person, specifically the homeless person behind the jug, which is ultimately the goal? Maybe. Knowing what I know now, assuming what I know is accurate, I feel uncomfortable giving to "UHO." It feels too much like deception. As one thinks they are donating to a group, UHO, that will care for and provide assistance to homeless people. Essentially, you may as well give to any person begging for money.
If you want to help NYC homeless, try these less dubious sources:
http://www.coalitionforthehomeless.org
http://www.ny.com/community
Walk along any New York City street and your likely to find a United Homeless Organization (UHO) table set up waiting for your hand out. If you've never seen one, look for a folding table complete with big plastic jug, red or white table cloth, and an official looking logo. Every time I pass, the question begs, "What is UHO?" "Am I supposed to be giving them money?" "Is it actually an organization." "Is it run by the homeless?"
I spent a little time on the interweb and came across this:
On Democracy Now (DN) (http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=03/04/07/0219252) and the Village Voice (VV) (http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0148,friedman,30289,1.html) I found articles that talk about an organization called the United Homeless Organization. This seemingly gives UHO credence, because it is cited in such established media outlets. Both web articles describe how UHO helped in the search following 9/11, documenting lost homeless people. A tricky bunch to follow seeing as the homeless do not have a conventional family or support system.
The VV article provides a link to the UHO website (www.unitedhomelessorganization.COM) that does not work. On the DN website, they link to the UHO through this address (http://www.blackplanetradio.50megs.com/uho.html). After clicking through a few pages, one is directed to a "donation page," where there isn't actually a place to donate. This web address is not the one posted on UHO donation tables throughout the city. If memory serves me correct, the address given is (www.unitedhomelessorganization.ORG). This address and the address hot-linked on DN both lead to the same web page (http://www.altrue.net/site/uho/). Note, the VV and DN provide two different web sites for the same organization.
Other information I found regarding UHO was from the website (www.VirtualObscurity.com). Virtual Obscurity, as far as I can tell, is just some guys blog...some guy like me. They claim the UHO is a scam, more or less an organized form of pan handling. People get to use the name and logo to acquire money under a seemingly legit organization, the UHO. They give a small portion of their "proceeds" to the "organization" and keep the rest. Virtual Obscurity provides a link to an "IRS form" proving UHO's supposed corruptness (I clicked on the link but didn't find the form). They also claim that UHO doesn't actually provide any programs for homeless. All UHO provides is a name to pan handle under.
Another web site, Wiretap (http://www.wiretapmag.com/stories/16987/) (cannot assess validity) explains essentially what Virtual Obscurity does, except Wiretap describes this in a good light:
"On their first day working, a person will train with someone...at a table. [They are shown] by example how to ask for a donation. At the end of [their first] shift they receive half of whatever was collected. [Subsequent shifts, a] $15.00 fee is charged [by UHO]...A person can disappear for days at a time, then return when they feel the need to work."
Wiretap also speaks of Stephen J. Riley, the head of UHO, wanting to build the organization and raise enough money to "be the first homeless organization that owns its own building...The building would be used to house homeless people and give them a place to sleep, especially during cold winter months."
Bottom line, the UHO remains somewhat of a mystery. If you donate with the intention of helping the greater good, it seems that you've been misled. However, the money is going to a homeless person, specifically the homeless person behind the jug, which is ultimately the goal? Maybe. Knowing what I know now, assuming what I know is accurate, I feel uncomfortable giving to "UHO." It feels too much like deception. As one thinks they are donating to a group, UHO, that will care for and provide assistance to homeless people. Essentially, you may as well give to any person begging for money.
If you want to help NYC homeless, try these less dubious sources:
http://www.coalitionforthehomeless.org
http://www.ny.com/community
posted by Hungry at 9:57 PM
3 Comments:
It's obvious you people don't know a thing about the history of homelessness in new york. The so large nonprofits you call "less dubious sources" have million dollar budgets with the Executive Directors of these organization getting huge salaries, we still have a homeless problem.
"you people" would just be me, Avi. agreed, there is still a homeless "problem." i put problem in quotes because homelessness exists in MANY different forms. sometimes it is chosen and sometimes it's by unfortunate circumstance. i assume the "problem" you refer to is that latter, those who are mentally ill or otherwise unable to care for themselves. these people do pose a problem both societally and for their own well being. i'm not saying the answer to homelessness is easy. i'm not saying one organization has the solution. i'm not saying there is a solution. i'm not saying i know the first thing about homelessness. i simply wanted to get a more concrete idea of what UHO is and does. this proved difficult as many different sources claimed many different things with regard to how UHO is run and what effectiveness UHO has. there are however other organizations, such as coalition for the homeless, with more clear cut goals and methods by which these goals are achieved. any additional information is welcomed.
I think UHO is one of the best Oganizations that I gave my money to i know for a fact Unitedhomeless Oganization helps people that are in need. Keeep up the good work. we the people that donate to you and see you at work all year long not, on a Holidays have a clear in sight on who makes a different.
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