I hate this place. They seem to think that they can come into my neighborhood that I have lived in for 30 years and just take over. They put a garbage dumpster right on the street corner you cant see around it making it a driving hazard. They talk about streets filled with garbage while their own garbage dumpster is constantly overflowing and blowing trash all the neighborhood and they NEVER come and pick it up. They talk about how the community is poor, shoeless, toothless, and has bad water. I live in a $100,000 mobile home, as do many of my neighbors! They talk about how there is no markets for miles around and no way for people to go shopping because they cant afford a car. We all have brand new cars! There's a Publix 2 miles down the road! A county park a mile away! three pizza places, 6 gas station ups store mcdonalds subway burger king and a bank, all within 2 miles, which we drive to in our cars like everyone else.
There ARE trailer parks out here which are disgusting, and yes trash all over, which they use pictures of to represent our community and get federal funds. Its absurd. They are owned by slum lords and the best help for these people is shut the damb things down. Otherwise, this is a community of privately owned mobile homes, some old, some new on privately owned land and we are doing just fine thank you.
The water out here has always been bad due to a convenience store underground gas tank leak and also some junk yards out here that had no county oversight for years that poisoned our private wells. I've never drunk the water here in thirty years. I use a water softener to pull out the iron and my clothes are white and the water clear. I bathe in it, clean with it, wash with it, I just don't use it for cooking or drinking water. Can you say Zepherhills Delivery? Its a sacrifice I made to be able to live in the country in private, which neither any longer applies to this area. It should be noted however, that the county offered to bring tap water out 10 years ago, which we all voted down due to the cost ($20,000 a household). Now this place wants to bring it out here to help the 'poor folks'. So I am assuming they will be footing the bill for the $20,000 a household right? Not!
Also now they want to build a homeless 'village' with federal funding in our neighborhood! Who the hell do these people think they are?
The residents of this community chose to live out here in what was once the country so they can live on private land in whatever they want, however they want, and not have to keep it pretty if they don't want to or deal with neighborhood associations and high taxes. This place, while maybe helping some of our poorer residents, is way overstepping boundaries here. I have no problem with helping the poorer people of the neighborhood, I DO have a problem with them thinking they are going TRANSFORM my way of life, or transform other peoples lives by building homeless communities in my back yard. Back off people!
And I would like to know how this place can receive Federal and County funding and they don't even have a listed phone number in Bithlo?
Several members of our community have expressed to me their desire to stop this place from growing any further and taking over our neighborhood. UGO needs to know that they are going to be answering some pretty tough questions to both the county and the federal government if they continue intruding unwanted and unasked into the lives of the residents of this area.
I find it amazing how the government continues to give our hard earned money to 501 C 3 groups especially ones who are working with children with no oversight, no active reports, they refuse to address FOIA requests, taking in hundreds of thousands of $$ and no one is watching. To boot, those in charge have no background in what they are doing - none whatsoever.
They hide behind a charitable organization, make themselves a corporation, get 501C3, take in the money and no one knows if these kids are learning anything. I have waited 4 years for a website from these people of which in today's world you can do for next to nothing, to tell us about this place and still nothing.
Someday people will wake up to who they are giving their kids over to. There is absolutely nothing to learn about this non-profit except they are taking in a lot of money and the President owns a Pressure Cleaning business and the directors appear to show they are not getting paid - how are they living!
A little like the Charter High School in East Orlando that the kids came to school one day and the doors were all locked. Come to find out the principal had no experience except as a carpet salesperson and they were paying her in excess of $300K a year plus bennies and then everyone walks around asking "how did this happen?"
When you are dealing with children everything should be open to examination - everything - otherwise what is it you have to hide. Phone calls aren't answered, e-mails not returned -
WOW! UGO is the most an amazing organization I have seen in 20 years as a volunteer in Central Florida. I'm most impressed with the results this small grassroots organization has accomplished in such a short time. The nine Areas of Focus were a collaborative outcome from hundreds of Bithlo residents over several events and became accepted as the foundation for the comprehensive transformation plan. Not only do volunteers come from all over the country- but also the Bithlo residents are extremely engaged.
A beautiful Transformation Village which inlcudes a private school, a coffee shop and library, meeting space for the regular BBQ's and Community Events, a private school, A GED program for Adults, Eye exams, Dental Services, a community garden... the list goes on and on! Just look at the photos from recent events on their FaceBook site.
Way to go-- UGO!!!!
These People are not wanted in Bithlo! They bad mouth poor residents and have a superiority complex that makes them feel as if Bithlo residents are inferior and social inadequates to them. PLEASE do not donate to their $5000,000 slush fund being used to deform Bithlo. Let us live how we want to. Not how UGO wants us to.
Review from Guidestar