Sangamon County Freedom Fund

llied organizations to help people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford bail. We know we can’t help everyone, but that shouldn’t stop us from helping where we can. We aren’t a judge or a jury, we just believe that poverty isn’t a reason someone should be locked up. Criteria
We look at the following factors as we determine who to help, paying special attention to those most at the margins:
Inability to pay bond required, including lack of access to family or community resources;
The amount of bond to be paid;
Risk of being victimized or experiencing violence in the jail, including but not limited to: race and ethnicity, immigration status, gender identity and expression (namely transgender, gender non-conforming or LGBTQI people), people with disabilities, and youth or elder status;
Special health needs such as pregnancy, chronic medical conditions, or ongoing mental health treatment;
Dependents or other family members who may be harmed by the applicant’s detention, including the risk of custody loss or Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) involvement;
Immigration status and potential immigration consequences of a criminal conviction. Referral through or connection to established partner organization; and
The anticipated impact of detention on applicant’s employment, housing, educational attainment, and/or custodial rights

Donations
Since we’re a volunteer organization, your donations will go directly to helping with bail. To the best of our ability, we will reuse and recycle funds. Once cash bail is eliminated in Illinois, we will donate any existing funds to Black Lives Matter Springfield. You can donate here: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/SangamonFreedomFund