HOUSTON -- Note: The following story is a verbatim transcript of an Investigators story that aired on May 13, 2008, on KPRC Local 2 at 10 p.m.

Local 2 Investigates Houston's corner crusaders.

Maybe you've seen them carrying buckets and collecting cash on street corners around the city.

They tell drivers the money collected is going to HIV and AIDS education. But some of you are wondering where that money is really going. Local 2 takes you undercover to get to the bottom of the bucket.

We spotted the men and women wearing matching yellow t-shirts darting into traffic and dodging cars to get your donations. They carry signs that read "Support HIV and AIDS education."

Investigative reporter Amy Davis approached two of the men at the corner of Westheimer and Shepherd. "Where does that money go?" she asked the man, as she dropped some change into his plastic bucket. He replied vaguely, "To educate the children and the youth."

Our hidden camera caught another man before he hit the streets with his bucket explaining to our producer just how successful the operation is.

"There are three teams," said the man who identified himself only as Storm. "I'm on the best team. Our team pulls in about $1,000 a day."

"One-thousand-dollars a day?" our producer repeated for clarification.

"We pulled in $989 exactly," said the man.

"It makes me angry," said Kelly McCann of AIDS Foundation Houston, a nonprofit group that provides housing and financial assistance for HIV and AIDS patients.

She told Local 2 Investigates she has doubts about the group collecting money that goes by the name "God Bless- HIV and AIDS Awareness."

"My No. 1 question would be, 'What are you using your funds for?'" said McCann. "Because if you talk to the people who are collecting money on the street, they give you a wide variety of answers."

We did ask some of those people on the street. "Educate street-level people," answered Steve Drake, who told us he lives in a halfway house. "Go into the schools and teach kids abstinence."

"You guys go into the school with kids?" Davis asked.

"No, ma'am, I do this part of it," he said.

"Who goes into the school to teach kids," Davis persisted.

"He has another crew for that," replied Drake referring to his boss. "I haven't met them."

"Oh, he has a crew that actually goes into schools?" Davis repeated.

"I think so," said Drake.

If you ask one of the men for more information about their organization, they give you a flier. One side has some facts about HIV and AIDS. The backside gives you a phone number to call to earn extra money.

Of course, we called. Here's how the conversation went.

"Hello," said a man, answering the phone.

"Uh yeah, I just got one of your fliers," said a Local 2 Investigates producer. "I was trying to see what kind of work y'all offer."

"You just got to hold a sign and a bucket and hand out fliers," replied the man nonchalantly. "And we pay 25 percent of what you bring in up to $99. If you make $100, we give you 30 percent."

That's right. They told us we, too, could get some extra bucks straight from those donation buckets. The man on the phone said all we had to do was meet up with the group at 1212 Prairie, a homeless day center.

We showed up just as a "God Bless" driver arrived to pick up a group of men.

"Can you show us what kind of work you're picking these guys up for?" Davis asked the driver.

Houstonians affected by HIV and AIDS wonder if these corner crusaders really have a passion for the cause or if they're just panhandlers with a purpose?

"Why the interest in raising awareness for HIV and AIDS?" Davis asked one of the men who showed up for work.

"Oh man," said the man, as he let out an embarrassed laugh.

"It's very offensive to me," said Danny Harris, who's lived with HIV for 11 years.

Harris said he couldn't afford treatments without Houston non-profits like Legacy Community Health Services. He sees every dollar donated to "God Bless" as one less helping patients like himself.

Harris' message for the men and woman collecting money -- "Try living with AIDS. Try living with AIDS on a daily basis; and they wouldn't be doing this."

We requested an interview with the director of "God Bless," Calvin Tarver. We even stopped by the business address on file with the Secretary of State's office. Turns out, it's also Tarver's home.

When he finally agreed to answer our questions, he sent a man named David Drew in his place.

"What are you guys doing with that money that's collected?" Davis asked Drew.

"It's all going right back into the streets," he said. "We're giving fliers, signs, shirts, gas for the vehicles, feeding the volunteers."

The fliers and signs are the education, working to raise awareness while they also raise dollars.

"And so about how much money would you say you've collected since the group started?" Davis asked Drew.

"I don't know, ma'am. I don't know," said Drew.

"But you know you have to keep those records?" Davis asked.

"Yes, ma'am."

Back at the Homeless Day Center, Davis asked the workers, "Do you feel bad at all for people who have HIV and AIDS and this money isn't going to any of them at all?"

"I cannot answer no questions, ma'am," said the driver as he started the engine of his truck.

"We're making a difference," said Drew. "And all we're going to do is make more and more and more of a difference. Just sit back and watch, and we'll get you the little papers that you need anytime you want, ma'am. I got to go," said Drew as he stood up to end our interview.

We didn't ask God Bless for any information that is not considered public.

But technically the group doesn't have to file its donations and expenses until September.

We also found that the city of Houston granted God Bless HIV & AIDS Awareness a permit that allows it solicit funds. But we had to point out to the city that the permit this group has does not allow them to collect money from drivers on the roadways.

More Information:

Solicitation for Charitable Purposes Permit
Certificate Of Registration Class B Permit: God Bless HIV & AIDS Awareness Organization