Democratizing connectivity. The Bail Project + US Mobile.

How nonprofit The Bail Project uses phone plans

US Mobile’s mission to democratize connectivity has always been clear; from transparent pricing to contractless, customizable plans, we have something to help connect everybody. Our reach spans beyond consumer products – we engage with impactful businesses and nonprofits to help spread freedom through connectivity across the country.

We’re proud to partner with The Bail Project, a national nonprofit organization that provides free bail assistance and community-based pretrial support to people held in pretrial detention. 

This partnership helps people who cannot afford bail by providing them with a free cell phone and a powerful talk, text & data plan. This enables The Bail Project to give its clients a way to stay connected with their families and lawyers while they are awaiting trial. 

How does The Bail Project work?

Longtime public defender Robin Steinberg founded The Bail Project in 2017, iterating and expanding upon The Bronx Defenders, The Bronx Freedom Fund, and Still She Rises (all organizations she founded) in a continued pursuit to transform the pretrial system in the US. 

We restore the presumption of innocence, reunite families, and challenge a system that criminalizes race and poverty. We’re on a mission to end cash bail and create a more just, equitable, and humane pretrial system.

The Bail Project

A revolving fund to serve more people

How nonprofit The Bail Project uses phone plans

Because bail is returned at the end of a case, donations to The Bail Project National Revolving Bail Fund can be recycled and reused to pay bail two to three times per year, maximizing the impact of every dollar.

Three key approaches

After being referred to The Bail Project, a staff member will conduct an interview to learn more about the person’s circumstances and what they require. If eligible for the program, they’ll post bail for them directly to the court without costing the individual or their family anything.

The Bail Project also provides court notifications and transportation assistance to help clients return to court and resolve their cases. This is where US Mobile comes in. US Mobile provides reliable phones and Warp Speed cellular service to The Bail Project and its clients so that no client gets left behind and accidentally misses important notifications.

Based on an individualized needs assessment, they even connect clients to voluntary services and resources like housing, substance use treatment, employment, and mental health care.

Creating real change: Derrick’s story

Derrick is one of The Bail Project’s recent clients. He was held on a $500 bail for about a week before The Bail Project stepped in. Even a short time being incarcerated can have devastating effects. He lost his home, his car, and his furniture — it was a blow he wasn’t prepared for. He knows that if he had more support, his life would have turned out differently.

Portrait of Derrick, a middle aged white man with short, white facial hair wearing a hoodie, reading glasses, and beanie.

That support is what The Bail Project provides. Derrick’s Client Advocate with The Bail Project connected him with The Salvation Army, provided him with bus tickets, got him a mobile phone and secured his freedom. With his free phone from US Mobile, Derrick could receive text message reminders about his court dates, communicate with his Client Advocate, connect with local agencies for support, and stay in touch with his children and grandchildren. Now, he also has a phone number that he can list on job applications.

“Without this phone, there is no communication, no way to be involved in the world.”

Derrick

Derrick says he is very grateful for The Bail Project’s assistance and support. Right now, he’s focused on finding employment and getting a new start: “For me, I just want to have a job that pays the bills — nothing luxurious, just not living in poverty.”

Those looking to dive deeper into the work The Bail Project does can learn more and provide support in the form of a donation, merchandise purchase, email newsletter subscription, and more on the website. You can also request support in the top-right corner of the homepage if you need help paying bail.

How can US Mobile boost my nonprofit?

Save money on operations costs and reinvest in your mission

If you’re like most nonprofit organizations, your donors are the lifeblood of your work. They provide the financial support that allows you to carry out your mission and make a difference in the world.

But what if there was a way to stretch those donations even further?

By saving money in other areas of your operations, you can free up more funds to direct toward your cause. Our phone plans for nonprofits will save you up to 70% on your monthly bill — that’s money you can put toward your mission.

Save your staff’s time

There’s nothing worse than being stuck on hold, trying to get support from your phone company. Even worse is when you can’t seem to find a spot with good service, and you’re constantly having to move around just to get a decent signal.

With US Mobile, you can forget about all of that. Our customer support structure is designed to save you time, so you can focus on what’s important. You’ll be speaking to a human within two minutes or less.

If you ever need support during business hours, your personal business account manager is at the ready to tackle any request. Plus, our support team is available to help 24/7, 365 via phone, email, or online chat.

Flexible phone plans for your business

With US Mobile, there is no contract, and plans can be changed at any time to adjust your talk, text, and data allotment. This type of phone plan is ideal for nonprofits with a diverse clientele, shifting employee and volunteer roles, and those who need to be able to adjust their data usage as their needs change.

US Mobile is committed to helping The Bail Project achieve its mission of ending cash bail and pretrial detention. The partnership between US Mobile and The Bail Project is an example of how businesses can use their platform to create real change. 

Further, we believe that there should be a phone plan for everyone. Whether you need tons of data to work remotely on a hotspot, or you just want to give a client a basic phone with unlimited texting and calling, we have options for you. 

Our flexible plans let you mix and match features so that you only pay for what you need, and our team is always available to help you find the perfect plan for your unique situation. 

So come see us today and let us help you find the perfect phone plan for your needs.