Friends at Framingham approved the following minute at a Called Meeting for Business on Sunday 8.23.2020:

The Working Group on Racism presented a background document and proposal for a bail fund project to work with communities directly impacted by racist systems.  The proposal will establish a new fund, called the Bail Fund, using $10,000 from the meeting’s Bequest Reserve, with the following expectations:

The Bail Fund will be available to residents of Framingham appearing in Framingham District Court and represented by the Public Defenders Office, and to individuals already incarcerated at MCI Framingham or the county jail in Billerica.

The maximum amount of bail to be paid per defendant is $500.

There will be a preference for parents with children younger than 18, or other dependents, living with them.

Bail will not be available for those arrested for domestic or sexual violence.

Returned bail will be re-deposited in the Bail Fund to be used for future bail payments. 

$2,500 from the Bail Fund will be maintained in cash held by several Friends who would be available to provide bail payments on short notice.

The Treasurer and the Working Group will work out details of keeping records and providing monthly reports to the Meeting.

Friends approved the proposal to implement and maintain the Bail Fund.

If you are a member or attender at Framingham Friends Meeting and interested and willing to be part of this project, please contact any member of the Working Group on Racism (you can find us in the Meeting Directory).  We are seeking additional people who are willing to go to the Framingham District Courhouse to pay bail, primarily on Mondays and possibly on Tuesdays.