I, Bob Graf, compelled by conscience and in the spirit of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul for the following reasons made three request of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul:

Because the Mission of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is: “offering person-to-person services to those who are needy and suffering…” ¹

St. Vincent de Paul,
Patron of the Society

Because the Mission of a St. Vincent de Paul Thrift store is: “Serving Christ’s needy as the primary goal of all St. Vincent De Paul Stores.” ²

Because Milwaukee is one of the poorest cities in the U.S.A., the most racially segregated city in the USA, with the highest rate of incarceration of African American males in Wisconsin, the state with the highest rate of incarceration of blacks in the USA, the country with the highest percentage of citizens incarcerated in world, ³

Because the central office budget of the Society in Milwaukee has gone up to around 3.5 million dollars and only about 4.5% of this budget is used for ‘direct services’ like food for meal program or money to needy conference, ⁴

Because of an outdated central office system used in allocating home visits and because the number of conferences in areas serving the poorest neighborhoods has gravely decreased. ⁵

Because SVDP conferences have to pay the Thrift stores 100% of retail value of donated clothes, household items and new beds, ⁶

Because the Society of St. Vincent de Paul states that “all money belongs to the poor.” ⁷

Because Deborah Duskey, Executive Director of Milwaukee SVDP declared in a public letter of September 19th, 2014 that “No funds donated to the poor are being used for the purchase, construction, setup and operation of the store” (new thrift store in Greenfield), ⁸

Because the Central Office, without direct permission of Milwaukee SVDP Council has borrowed over a million dollars from the St. Vincent de Paul trust fund for the Greenfield thrift store, consisting of funds given to the Society for needs of the poor, ⁹

Because Bob Graf, who has been a faithful member of the Society for over 12 years, serving people in need, was suspended by National Society of St. Vincent de Paul based on 81 pages of allegations provided by local central office staff and members, none of which were given to Bob. ¹⁰

We request that the Milwaukee Council of St. Vincent de Paul, the National Council of St. Vincent de Paul and the International Society of St. Paul:

1) Keep the Greenfield Thrift store finances separate and only use the income of the Greenfield store to fund compensation costs and all operating costs for the store and to reimburse SVDP Trust fund and bank loan used for this store.

2) That a long overdue Independent Audit be done of the St. Vincent de Paul Society to take place by a certified audit group that has not be used in the past.

3) That Bob Graf be reinstated as full member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul

If anyone wish to join me in this cry for the poor please add your name and position to this request: contact

“We must do what is most agreeable to God. Therefore, we must do what our Lord Jesus Christ did when preaching the Gospel. Let us go to the poor.” Blessed Frederic Ozanam, Founder of the Society of St Vincent de Paul,(1813–1853)

¹ http://www.svdpusa.org/About-Us/Mission-and-Values (↑)

² http://www.nonviolentworm.org/Main/MissionOfStVincentDePaul#toc4 (↑)

³ See M.A.P.S. http://www.nonviolentworm.org/Main/MAPS (↑)

⁴ 2014–2015 Approved Projected Council Budget is $3,417,518 of income, $2, 068,364 for compensation; 182,600 for new merchandise; 1,309,580 for operating expenses (Non-relief): $154, 200 for direct services (relief); a deficit of $297, 129 (↑)

⁵ Due to geographic boundaries of conferences based on outdated Church boundaries, in the two poorest, racially segregated areas of Milwaukee, there are only 5 or 6 conferences making home visits. This gives persons in need, when calling the central office, the message: “We do not serve your area” or “The conference in your area is not making home visit now.” (↑)

⁶ St. Vincent de Paul store price list for conferences. (↑)

⁷ Sources of Council funds may include contributions from Conferences, donations, bequests, special works, and grants. Like Conferences, Councils act as custodians of funds given to the Society, understanding that they belong, ultimately, to the poor. Manuel of Society of St. Vincent de Paul p.39 (↑)

⁸ Open Letter to Friends of St. Vincent de Paul, September 19, 2014 by Deborah Duskey, Executive Director and Rosemary Sorts, Milwaukee Council President (↑)

⁹ “Councils may receive funding requests from charitable organizations outside the Society. Funds donated to the Society, however, must be used only for works that involve the personal service of Society members. The Society does not raise or contribute money for activities, no matter how praiseworthy, in which its members are not personally and substantially involved. We must honor the intentions of our donors, who have chosen to give to the Society, rather than other organizations, with the expectation that their gifts will be used for Vincentian work and no other purpose.” (Manuel of St. Vincent de Paul Society of USA p. 37 (↑)

¹⁰ “Effective immediately, I am suspending you as a member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. You may not act on behalf of the Society under any circumstance. The reason for this action is based on The Rule III, Statue 17, which states: ‘Any member, Conference or Council using means than those provided by the Society to resolve internal disputes renounces Vincentian communion and leaves the Society…” Letter from National Council President, Shelia K. Gilbert, Oct. 30, 2014. “This letter serves to inform you that if you trespass on the Milwaukee Society’s property located at 9601 West Silver Spring Drive, Milwaukee, WI 53225 (the “Property”), attempt to attend any meetings of the Milwaukee Society at the Property or any location, or attempt to involve yourself in any activities of the Milwaukee Society, the Milwaukee Society will use all means available to it to prevent such activities.” Jacqueline Hrovat of law offices of Molly Zimmerman s.c. with copies to Deborah Duskey, Michelle Martin and Rosemary Storts, November 18, 2014. (↑)