Veteran speaks out against VSO - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

Have you ever dropped money in one of those donation jars at a store? A south Georgia veteran is urging you to beware.

He says the Veteran's Support Organization  A group that's collecting money in our area, doesn't use enough of that money directly to help veterans.

VSO leaders insist they are helping veterans and are not misleading to the public.

The Veterans Support Organization has been under fire from some critics for years but I spoke with the director of operations for that group. He wants folks to do research about their organization and then decide for themselves before drawing any conclusions.

Every year, nearly 90 percent of Americans donate to charities often by dropping a few dollars into a donation jar outside a store. But do you know where that money is going once you give it away? "Before talking to these people, I walked out of SAMs club and dropped my money in and kept on walking," said retired Army Major Jack Clay.

Jack Clay, an Albany Veteran says he gave money to a charity he doesn't think is legitimate.

Clay is one of many who donated to the Veteran's Support Organization, but he was shocked about the lack of military knowledge the man asking for money had. "This guy could not tell me any unit he served with..all he could tell me was I'm a infantry soldier," he said.

We checked out the Veterans Support Organization and found they give seven percent of the money donated to other veteran organizations the majority goes towards program services the VSO says helps veterans. Thirty percent of the money goes to the people collecting the money.

"You keep approximately 30 percent and the rest will go towards grants which will help for rent..utilities..and food," said Justin Wells, The Director of Operations for the Veterans Support Organization.

But not all of the people collecting are veterans. "Do you have to be a veteran? No, but 67 percent of or participants are veterans," said Wells.

Justin Wells, the director of operations for VSO says that's no secret. "These local veteran groups that don't understand what we are doing on a national level," he said.

He says the group makes it clear they are dedicated to helping out veterans as well as those who need a second chance by handing out flyers and clearly stating it on their website. "It says on there veterans and Americans working together," he said.

The group just recently changed their uniforms from these to an outfit that doesn't imply the collector is a veteran. Although the group has been under fire, Wells is standing up for the organization. "I will put my 990 up against any organization," he said.

He is referring to his organization's IRS 990 form, which shows can how the money is used.

Also www.charitywatch.org, that monitors and grades non-profit groups.

We checked today and it lists VSO as a "new listing" that did not have a rating.