Our Partners

The Community Foundation of Palm Beach and Martin Counties: This is a 501(c)(3) acting as a fund of funds for more than 500 charities. It provides administrative, tax and investment support. First Chance Fund is one of the Community Foundation’s funds.

Office of the Public Defender of Palm Beach: The Public Defenders handle more than 50,000 criminal cases each year for indigent defendants. It is their clients who will benefit from First Chance.

Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County: Legal Aid plays a dual role in (1) coordinating with the Public Defenders to disburse bail funds to women identified by the Public Defenders and (2) offering a wide range of legal services to the women affected including legal services for child care, housing and abusive family legal representation

The Lord’s Place: This Palm Beach County‐based charitable organization offers a wide range of social services to women who may need places to live, family support, emotional support, job training and employment.

How First Chance Helps

When a woman is arrested for a crime, and she is appointed a Public Defender, if the court sets bail and the woman cannot pay it, the Public Defender will notify the Legal Aid to arrange payment of the amount required. The funds will be drawn from a First Chance account set up at Legal Aid to disburse the money for Public Defender clients. The payment is automatic and there is no subjective analysis to determine whether the woman is “worthy.”

The Public Defender takes the lead role in making sure the client shows up at court in a timely fashion for trial. When the woman reports to court for trial, the bail money funded by First Chance is returned and revolved to help others.