SFHSC provides an extremely unique service to the homeless services community. They deliver food and clothing!! We have received tons of donated goods through SFHSC. Thanks.
The last review was false and completely misleading. If you actually read the SF Chronicle article you'd see that the charity is in no way under investigation by the IRS. They simply closed their SF office. If you were at a meeting with HSC principals, from what I heard about that meeting, then your bias and lack of understanding about what HSC does is what contributed to their decision to close their SF Office. Shame on you. They did amazingly valuable work and their wall of thank you letters from all the shelters that received good and funds from them can prove it. Till this day they still get requests from homeless service providers asking for food and clothing to be picked up, or college students writing papers trying to get resources and all have expressed sincere disappointment that SFHSC has closed their SF office. Shame on you for your treatment of them.
According to the SF Chronicle, date July 21, 2009, this organization closed its San Francisco office, and the Los Angeles office is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service.
Good work, good people. They were very helpful in educating me and my son about the homeless crisis. They also hooked me up with volunteer opportunities. Important work, much appreciated!
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Just met their staff, great experience. They spoke to me about volunteering. They explained to me the difference between their two campaigns, one in San Francisco and one in L.A. which may be why the previous reviewer is confused. Their 990 for S.F. is a different campaign, its much heavier focused on public education hence why only a small portion was donated to shelters. In S.F. they never claim to be fundraising for shelters so why is the previous reviewer attacking them? To see their fundraising reports for L.A. visit their website, www.lahsc.org
I got solicited for this organization and gave them some $$. I think I got suckered. The Los Angeles Homeless Services Coalition's 990 for 2007 shows less than 20% of the monies they collect going to the homeless. It appears they got in a situation in San Francisco with the the authorities. All the info they show about their finances on their web site is actually the financial info for another organization called Los Angeles Youth Network. The FEIN Number they print on the bottom of their receipt for a donation is that of the Los Angeles Youth Network. I finall y found the 2007 990 (Tax Return) for the Los Angeles Homeless Services Coation and it did not look good. http://dynamodata.fdncenter.org/990_pdf_archive/205/205562638/205562638_200712_990.pdf Here's an article on their San Francisco operation http://www.sfbg.com/entry.php?entry_id=4830&catid;=&volume_id=317&issue_id=322&volume_num=42&issue_num=04 I won't be donating to them again
My experience with the SFHSC has been extremely positive. I found their staff to be very knowledgeable, friendly, professional and the work they do is important. Too many people in SF are completely ignorant to the causes and roots of the homeless crisis and at least people are out there trying to make a difference. And if they ask for money so they can provide that service I'm all for it. Keep up the good work!I don't know what the problem of the previous review is considering his other reviews of other nonprofits are all negative.
My only experience with this organization is that for months they swarmed my neighborhood, harassing passersby for donations. They were there for 3-4 days a week for a couple months and I grew very weary of seeing them. So did homeless people on that intersection, for I actually saw their volunteers in a heated argument with one of them, how ironic!