HELP HOSPITALIZED VETERANS
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April 11, 2013
I originally donated to Help Hospitalized Veterans in 2012 as the program SEEMED like a great idea. I am all for helping our troops. Unfortunately I failed to properly check out their organization before donating. Since my donation, I receive a mailing from them about once every two weeks requesting additional donations and including tons of personalized address labels, stickers, etc. - a complete waste of resources. To make matters even worse, I've actually had them send me real $1 bills to try to guilt me into sending it back along with another donation. I simply take the dollar bill and donate it to another worthwhile legitimate charity. Today I tried to email them from their website to request to be removed from their mailing list. I got some weird auto-response that their inbox is protected by "SpamArrest" and that I would have to go to a verification page to get my email through to them. Research on "SpamArrest" shows that although their service is to supposedly prevent spam, they actually use and sell your address you type into the "verification" page so you get spammed even more. It's incredible how shady these guys at Help Hospitalized Veterans are. No wonder the CA Attorney General is going after them!
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Was your donation impactful?
No
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
No
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
No
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2013
January 31, 2013
2 people found this review helpful
I just received a check in the mail for $2.50 from this organization, trying to shame us into giving them donations. The red flags immediately went up as why would a charity for veterans (supposedly) be sending out money to the public? I went to CharityNavigator.com to check them out, and sure enough they've been targeted by the state of California for huge excessive salaries siphoned off by the executives....millions, in fact. This organization is a scam and those in charge should have their sorry asses thrown in jail. They should be made to disgore every penny they took, and have the funds sent to legitimate charities for deserving veterans.
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Will you volunteer or donate to this organization?
No
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
None
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2013
1 person found this review helpful
November 8, 2012
1 person found this review helpful
I am a Veteran who was hospitalized several years ago. After I was released from the VA Hospital these kits began to arrive. I did not need them so I used to bring them to the Rehab Dept. at the VA Hospital. The Rehab Dept. now get their own kits from HHV and don't want mine. So, I toss them. Each kit includes post cards to thank the doners. I cannot imagine any of these kits costing more than $5. Yet, in the package I would get 2 or 3 doner cards. I have told HHV that I do not want these craft kits and that I am not in the hospital. Yet, periodically they still arrive. What a waste of donor money.
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How would you describe the help you got from this organization?
None
How likely are you to recommend this organization to a friend?
No
How do you feel you were treated by this organization?
Okay
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
1 person found this review helpful
October 12, 2012
1 person found this review helpful
As a veteran and a volunteer for HHV, I can say first hand how helpful the craft kits are to so many veterans. They are used for therpy as well as rehab. To assist a veteran that only has use of one arm make moccasins or one that lost his sight complete a birdhouse or even a vet that had brain cancer making a wallet with his son in the workshop is priceless. I am so saddened and angry that the VA hosp is doing away with this program because of some self-centered and greedy people in this organization, Hospitalized veterans,staff and volunteers will deeply miss the "medicine that doesn't come in a bottle".
The Great!
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
receiving craft kits and volunteering for HHV
Ways to make it better...
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
ensure the money donors send in be used for the intendeed purpose and that is to purchase and make craft kits for veterans
More feedback...
How would you describe the help you got from this organization?
A lot
How likely are you to recommend this organization to a friend?
Likely
How do you feel you were treated by this organization?
Quite well
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
How did you find this group?
volunteer services at local VA
September 14, 2012
3 people found this review helpful
Just received a Christmastime solicitation from HHV. For an outfit that is hurting for funds and facing a CA Atty. General lawsuit, the solicitation is very elaborate: (1) Three pennies attached to a 2-sided, multi-color remittance form; a multi-colored "God Bless America" bumper sticker; (2) first-class, multi-color return envelope (no postage, thankfully), (3) a two-page, multi-fold, 3-color form letter; (4) matte postcard depicting an injured 'vet' (unverifiable photo) holding a model kit; and (5) a Christmas card to sign "for you to sign." I cannot believe that a non-profit would put that much expense into solicitation, especially given their pending litigation. They must be desperate for funds to pay their attorneys!!
More feedback...
Was your donation impactful?
No
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
No
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
No
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
1 person found this review helpful
August 30, 2012
1 person found this review helpful
Having never donated or provided my personal contact information to HHV, I was unpleasantly surprised to find an unsolicited donation request in my mailbox. Regardless of whatever work the organization does, such unsolicited donation requests (with pennies inside to deliberately guilt you into a contribution) seem to be a gross misuse of funds and staff time.
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Will you volunteer or donate to this organization?
No
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
A little
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
1 person found this review helpful
August 20, 2012
1 person found this review helpful
Re: "Help Hospitalized Veterans", I just received a 2nd request for donations so could they still be sending them out(?) I received the 1st 2-3 months ago. The photos on their brochure looked phony... Thanks for the service you are providing.
More feedback...
Was your donation impactful?
No
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
No
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
No
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
August 18, 2012
2 people found this review helpful
i have been a donor to hhv for some time now, in fact, to date i have received 38 completed donor cards with thank yous from vets of all services and locations. in addition, i am a disabled veteran (vietnam 69-70), and have seen the craft kits at the oklahoma city va hospital, and have spoken many times to veterans using these kits over the years. because hhv has been one of my primary charities, i emailed HHV and told them of hearing of the current allegations, and all i received as an answer was the 'canned' legalese reply posted on the HHV web-site.........i EXPECT more of an explanation of whats going on and i EXPECT hhv to be forthright in this explanation. i will NOT donate to this organization until HHV comes clean with whats up......obviously i am very disappointed and upset about this situation,because i know FIRST HAND how much these kits are appreciated by the hospitalized veterans...but i dont like being USED, and their silence has made me feel very MUCH used...... bruce allsen oklahoma city
More feedback...
Was your donation impactful?
Definitely
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
Unsure
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
Unsure
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
2 people found this review helpful
August 10, 2012
2 people found this review helpful
I'll have to rate this a One star, as I am appalled to discover the criminality with organzation. In 1980, I nearly died from hemorrhaging pneumonia (ARDS) during Tech School at an Air Force base in Texas. The craft kit I received from this organization was a help to me, and it came with a card saying that it was donated by someone thinking of a hospitalized soldier. At 18 yrs of age, this inspired me to give to veterans charities; so I am grateful for this. Too bad I can't contribute to this charity after learning what we all know now. Just awful.
More feedback...
Will you volunteer or donate to this organization?
No
How much of an impact do you think this organization has?
Some
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
1997
July 24, 2012
2 people found this review helpful
Donate elsewhere. If you look at their 2010 tax return, they spent $8.2 million on vets, while paying the CEO $390,000, and paying the rest of the staff $3.3 million! They spent $3.1 million in fundraiding and advertising, and another $3.9 million in "other." What is "other?" Probably more money to management. Anyway, it looks like they only spend about $0.40 of every dollar on helping vets. I've given money to this group in the past, but have figured out you need to pay attention to what they're doing with your donation. I will be giving to other outfits in the future that get the lion's share of my donation to help those that put their lives on the line for our country.
More feedback...
Was your donation impactful?
Unsure
How likely is it that you would recommend that a friend donate to this group?
Unlikely
How likely are you to donate to this group again?
Unlikely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
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