United Homeless Organization

United Homeless Organization
Founded 1985
Founder Steven Riley
Dissolved 2010 (forced closure)ii
Type 501 (c)(3)j0
Location
Area served
Manhattan
Key people
 Stephen Riley, President
Christine Walker, Administrative Assistant
Revenue
$97,890 USD (2007)[1]
Employees
0

The United Homeless Organization (UHO) was a 501(c)(3) homelessness charity based in New York City. It was disbanded in 2010 after it was ruled to be operating fraudulently.

Founded in 1985 by Stephen Riley, who ran the organization from his apartment in the Bronx,[2] UHO solicited money at sidewalk tables at various locations in Manhattan. Soliciters paid UHO $15 per shift (with 3 to 4 shifts per day) to rent a table and collection jug; any remaining funds raised they could keep for themselves.[2] According to UHO, more than three-quarters of its soliciters are homeless, and all have been homeless at one time.[3]

In November 2009, New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo filed suit in Manhattan Supreme Court against the group, charging that the founders kept most of the change collected. The suit charged that Riley and director Myra Walker used the money to buy items for their personal use, and to pay bills unrelated to UHO.[4]

On June 24, 2010, Judge Barbara R. Kapnick ruled that UHO be permanently shut down and further banned Riley and Walker from ever engaging in non-profit work again.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (IRS Form 990) (PDF), United Homeless Organization, 2007
  2. 1 2 Klein, Melissa; Boniello, Kathianne (2008-12-09), 'Jug Band' Keeps Your Change, New York Post, retrieved 2009-08-06
  3. ↑ Schneider, Daniel B. (2001-07-01), F.Y.I., New York Times, retrieved 2009-08-06
  4. ↑ Klein, Melissa; Fasick, Kevin; Bennett, Chuck (2009-11-24), Homeless beggar jars a sham: AG, New York Post, retrieved 2009-11-24
  5. ↑ Bennett, Chuck. "Judge rules to permanently shut down faux homeless charity, but hucksters still out in force". New York Post.
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