SF Safe, otherwise known as San Francisco Safe Inc, was a nonprofit that worked in partnership with the city of San Francisco’s Police Department as the department’s community engagement arm, providing services such as crime prevention education and awareness through contracts from the police department. ¹ The organization existed from 1980 until it ceased operations in early 2024 amid an embezzlement and misappropriation of funds scandal. ²

Programs

SF Safe provided services as the “community engagement arm of the San Francisco Police Department,” ³ such as bicycle registration, community watch, and community education on child safety, home security, and reducing car and business thefts. Services revolved around raising awareness on best practices for maintaining safety in the community for businesses and residents of the city. ⁴

There is some question as to whether the services listed on the organization’s website were fully performed as contracted by the police department. For Richmond, the nonprofit for which SF Safe’s director Kyra Worthy had previously worked, shut its doors after an embezzlement scandal. “For Richmond failed to complete many services and, in some instances, did not perform them at all, despite receiving payment,” according to a statement from a West Contra Costa Unified School District associate superintendent. ⁵

Embezzlement Scandal

In July 2024, then-SF Safe executive director Kyra Worthy was arrested and charged with 34 felonies including “misappropriation of public money, submitting fraudulent invoices, theft, wage theft and check fraud” related to her time leading the now-closed nonprofit. ⁶ She was charged with misuse of more than $700,000 in public funds obtained through contracts between SF Safe and the San Francisco Police Department. She also was accused of failing to pay subgrantees more than $500,000 and embezzling over $100,000 for her own personal use. The scandal led to the 48-year-old nonprofit shutting its doors. ⁷

Worthy was accused of spending nonprofit funds on lavish parties and events, including $350,000 on gift boxes, and almost $100,000 on one event called “Candy Explosion” in October of 2023. One holiday party was alleged to have cost $56,000. Worthy allegedly used SF Safe funds to pay her landlord $8,000 and to pay a home healthcare worker for her parents $90,000. She also was accused of wage theft, totaling $80,000, when she stopped paying payroll taxes for 27 employees of SF Safe. ⁸

Worthy’s salary had risen to over $150,000 by 2020, far greater than the previous director’s approximately $100,000 salary. ⁹

Funding

SF Safe received a majority of its funding from government contracts through the city of San Francisco, and has been described as “the citywide community engagement arm of the San Francisco Police Department.” ^{10 11}

People

Kyra Worthy was the executive director for SF Safe until her firing in 2024. The “first African American woman” director of SF Safe, Worthy began work at SF Safe in January of 2018, and the organization shut its doors six years later in mid-2024. Before working for SF Safe, Worthy worked at the Boys and Girls Clubs of San Francisco, YMCA of San Francisco, and the Edgewood Center for Children and Families. She began working at For Richmond in 2013. ¹²

1. “History & Mission.” SF SAFE. Accessed August 12, 2024. https://sfsafe.org/our-mission/.
2. Toledo, Aldo. “New Investigation under Way into S.F. Nonprofit’s Spending on ‘luxury’ Gifts, Limos, Tahoe Trip.” San Francisco Chronicle, January 24, 2024. http://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/san-francisco-safe-nonprofit-18622141.php.
3. Waxmann, Laura. “District 10 Supervisor Plans to Tackle Safety, Equity Gaps with Help of Community.” San Francisco Examiner, January 24, 2024. https://www.sfexaminer.com/archives/district-10-supervisor-plans-to-tackle-safety-equity-gaps-with-help-of-community/article_c0b82f5e-7c38-5c7c-863a-2be5a8349ab9.html
4. “Programs & Services.” SF SAFE. Accessed August 12, 2024. https://sfsafe.org/projects/.
5. Barba, Michael. “Before SF Safe Hired Kyra Worthy, Misspending Questions Dogged Her East Bay Nonprofit.” The San Francisco Standard, January 25, 2024. https://sfstandard.com/2024/01/25/san-francisco-safe-nonprofit-kyra-worthy-for-richmond/.
6. Waxmann, Laura. “District 10 Supervisor Plans to Tackle Safety, Equity Gaps with Help of Community.” San Francisco Examiner, January 24, 2024. https://www.sfexaminer.com/archives/district-10-supervisor-plans-to-tackle-safety-equity-gaps-with-help-of-community/article_c0b82f5e-7c38-5c7c-863a-2be5a8349ab9.html.
7. Burn, Joe. “Fired Boss of Scandal-Plagued SF Safe Nonprofit Charged with 34 Felonies.” The San Francisco Standard, July 30, 2024. https://sfstandard.com/2024/07/30/fired-boss-sf-safe-nonprofit-charged-34-felonies/
8. Burn, Joe. “Fired Boss of Scandal-Plagued SF Safe Nonprofit Charged with 34 Felonies.” The San Francisco Standard, July 30, 2024. https://sfstandard.com/2024/07/30/fired-boss-sf-safe-nonprofit-charged-34-felonies/.
9. Barba, Michael. “Before SF Safe Hired Kyra Worthy, Misspending Questions Dogged Her East Bay Nonprofit.” The San Francisco Standard, January 25, 2024. https://sfstandard.com/2024/01/25/san-francisco-safe-nonprofit-kyra-worthy-for-richmond/.
10. ^[1] Waxmann, Laura. “District 10 Supervisor Plans to Tackle Safety, Equity Gaps with Help of Community.” San Francisco Examiner, January 24, 2024. https://www.sfexaminer.com/archives/district-10-supervisor-plans-to-tackle-safety-equity-gaps-with-help-of-community/article_c0b82f5e-7c38-5c7c-863a-2be5a8349ab9.html.
11. “Safe / San Francisco Safe Inc.” Cause IQ. Accessed August 12, 2024. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/safe,942695826/.
12. Barba, Michael. “Before SF Safe Hired Kyra Worthy, Misspending Questions Dogged Her East Bay Nonprofit.” The San Francisco Standard, January 25, 2024. https://sfstandard.com/2024/01/25/san-francisco-safe-nonprofit-kyra-worthy-for-richmond/.