SF SAFE, the police-affiliated nonprofit embroiled in a series of financial scandals, has purportedly stiffed another local outfit: Diosa Blooms, a small, family-owned Mission florist, says the embattled nonprofit ran up a bill for more than $17,000 worth of flowers and never paid it.
Kyra Worthy, who was ousted from her position as the Executive Director of SF SAFE last month, racked up a sizable bill for floral arrangements on behalf of the organization. Namely: $7,814 for a belated Christmas party in January 2023, and $9,625 the following month for a brunch celebrating Black History Month, according to invoices obtained by Mission Local.
On top of that, Worthy purchased a handful of other arrangements on SF SAFE’s dime that add up to about $1,000, according to the store’s management.
“She always liked big arrangements,” said Krisha Militante, who has run Diosa Blooms at 22nd and Capp streets with three family members and a friend since 2017.
The bouquets Worthy ordered had to be “full and luscious,” Krisha Militante said. “Nothing dainty, no small flowers.” She liked orchids, king proteas, big monstera leaves — premium flowers, the sisters explained.
A single king protea flower in one large and elaborate bouquet costs about $30.
Worthy purchased her first flowers from Diosa Blooms in 2021. She bought thousands of dollars worth of flowers for events, and billed the costs to SF SAFE. Diosa Blooms received payment for these orders. But in 2023, Worthy racked up more than $17,000 in outstanding flower bills, and the Militantes are still trying to claw that money back.
“We’re a small business, and this debt has really taken its toll on us,” said Katie Militante, Krisha’s sister. They have had to delay payments to their suppliers while they wait to receive the payments they are owed.
The last time Militante heard from Worthy was in an email dated Jan. 18, 2024.
That is the same day the city controller published an audit finding that SF SAFE had misspent some $79,655 in public funds on non-qualified expenses, such as luxury gift boxes and a staff trip to Lake Tahoe.
“For sure, the payments will go out on the 25th,” Worthy wrote to the flower store’s management. The Militantes accepted Worthy’s proposition to pay the outstanding $17,433 in five installments over the course of five months.
The first installment, due last month, never came through.
Worthy was dismissed by SF SAFE’s board of directors last month. And, following the damning audit, a number of entities that the nonprofit should’ve paid have emerged from the woodwork and claimed they’re owed massive amounts of back pay. Among them is the Latino Task Force, which was contracted by SF SAFE to train Spanish-speaking “community ambassadors.” Task Force leaders said the nonprofit has reneged on $625,000 worth of promised payments for services already provided.
When she and her family members saw the news about SF SAFE’s trip to Tahoe, Katie said she felt defeated. “Ah, there’s the money,” she said. “It’s gotten to a point where we can’t even contact her,” she added.
“She targeted our vulnerability as a small business,” said Krisha Militante.
Mission Local’s calls and texts to Worthy have not been answered.
The ousted nonprofit director was once a loyal Diosa Blooms customer. She would often visit the store, which is across the street from the SF SAFE office on 22nd Street, and chat with the Militante sisters, even asking how their family were doing.
“She was really nice, too,” said Katie Militante. “She really had us believing.”
Worthy was the type to order large arrangements and say, “put it on my bill,” said Katie. Between October 2021 and last year, Worthy made purchases at the store some two dozen times: Most were for funeral arrangements, or smaller bouquets for the office, with orders totaling $200 to $400.
The sisters keep a photo album of all her arrangements, for reference. Once an arrangement was made, they would send Worthy a photo, asking her if she liked it, Katie said. Worthy, they remembered, did not have cheap taste.
“Any filler flower,” Katie said, “she would have us cut out.”
Where does the buck stop? The Mayor, the Chief of Police, The Police Commission, The Board of Supervisors, The Controller, The Chief Administrator Officer? How are these innocent vendors made whole? What a disgrace!
An East Bay city has a massive garbage problem. People dump at certain locations because those places are seldom cleaned up. The message is, THIS IS WHERE WE DUMP OUR GARBAGE. And they do.
San Francisco has a similar problem, not with garbage but with people.
KYRA WORTHY of SF SAFE is the latest example of someone who works for or contracts with The City and uses that relationship to siphon off funds for personal gain.
It’s as though there’s a large sign saying THIS IS WHERE WE MAKE OUR MONEY, and certain people just take whatever they want without anything resembling adequate oversight.
Of course, until the voters elect PUBLIC SERVANTS, who will take action, rather than POLITICIANS, who won’t, nothing changes. Nothing.
Why is SF SAFE spending $17k on flowers? Is anyone or any organization in San Francisco subject to any oversight?
Is this not criminal theft? Disgusting.
People have been yelling about the non profits and the City expenditures for years. Any method of accountability is never followed up on by the City. We also exponentially increased the City budget and personnel during the last 15 to 20 years. It’s insane. This buck stops at the Mayor’s offices.
Such Chutzpah—Worthy of…
A couple questions:
Who hired Kyra?
Why was the knowledge of Kyra’s past malfeasance kept from Mayor Breed?
What does the SFPD know about SF Safe they are not disclosing?
This lady is definitely going to jail.