Here is where I left off with Heritage for the Blind.

In early February, a few days after leaving a message for the head of
Heritage for the Blind, a Rabbi Toiv called me back and spoke to me in
guarded words and a defensive tone.

He said that he is the head of Jewish Heritage for the Blind, which has
nothing to do with plain old Heritage for the bBlind. Very strange, since
it was my inquiry to the latter that got him to call me back, and I had
previously been told that the word "Jewish" was dropped from the name of
the previous organization to create the second. He was obviously being
evasive and stonewalling me.

A few days later, I spoke to a younger and nicer guy at Heritage for the
Blind. He told me that they are connected with Jewish Heritage for the
Blind, and said that they have a wider mission of helping blind people to
get services and answers to their medical questions. This guy was the first
person to make the organization sound legit.

So, I tested him by asking a question, something about where I can get
assistance to buy some computer equipment and training. He said that he
would look into it and call me back about that. To date, I have never again
heard from him. So I'm thinking that this second guy was playing "good cop"
to the rabbi's "bad cop".

Their strategy seems to be to frustrate then appease, evade then answer,
and to generally keep legitimate inquiries away.

Pete, what are your thoughts of how to handle these apparent exploiters of
good will? I'd like to help you to put the squeeze on HFTB, because, if
they are not legit, they should be exposed, shamed and destroyed.

Peter Seymour




At 09:01 AM 5/22/02 -0400, Peter Mikochik wrote:
>hi list
>
>a few months ago there was a discussion about an organization known as
>'heritage for the blind'  which advertises for car donations here in the
>new york city area.
>the legitimacy of this organization is in question and Peter Seymour
>mentioned that he was looking into this.
>
>any luck or progress peter?
>
>
>
>
>
>


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