The United Way grant and the PAL grant were given to champion programs that help prevent people from entering the criminal justice system. However, there are currently thousands of people held in Philadelphia's jails solely because they cannot afford to pay for their release. Philadelphia has the fourth-highest incarceration rate of the nation's 50 largest cities, with nearly six of every 1,000 residents behind bars, and the majority are still awaiting trial. Nearly two-thirds of the roughly 6,700 people currently detained in Philadelphia's jails are still waiting for their day in court, and at least a quarter are being held on money bail alone, denying them their fundamental right of the presumption of "innocent until proven guilty."

To advance criminal justice reform, the Eagles Social Justice Leadership Council provided a $50,000 grant to the Philadelphia Community Bail Fund. Founded in 2017, its mission is to end cash bail in Philadelphia. PCBF has worked to create a process to responsibly bail out individuals who are held on unaffordable cash bails in Philadelphia-area jails. The process involves accepting bailout requests from community members and partner organizations, visiting individuals in jail, assessing support needs, speaking with loved ones who support them, and making decisions on how to prioritize bailouts.

"We are happy to receive the support from the Eagles Social Justice Fund to continue the efforts towards ending cash bail. We look forward to the day when cash bail and pretrial detention ends in Philadelphia," said Candace McKinley, Philadelphia Community Bail Fund organizer.

The grants from the Social Justice Fund will not just increase prevention and seek to alter the system but also provide aid for those who are re-entering society. A major challenge for formerly incarcerated individuals is obtaining the skills needed to get a job and earn enough money to exit the vicious cycle. The Philadelphia Opportunities Industrialization Center (OIC) is dedicated to the elimination of poverty, unemployment, and illiteracy to ensure a meaningful quality of life for families and individuals within Philadelphia by serving more than 3,000 individuals annually. OIC received a $50,000 grant from the Eagles Social Justice Fund.

"We are thankful for this investment from the Philadelphia Eagles Social Justice Fund. This grant will increase our resources and our ability to help more people from underserved communities reach their goals," said OIC interim president and CEO Charles Crumbley, III. "With this funding, Philadelphia OIC will create 'The Career Nest,' a dedicated hub for career learning and development for our students and the general public to apply for jobs, participate in online training, and utilize career resource tools to gain employment in a competitive marketplace."

The Eagles Social Justice Fund aims to provide everyone in this community that we consider our extended family a chance and to let them know that their voices are heard loud and clear.

"These issues attack so many different areas that affect society and are very important to us as players," McLeod said. "I know for myself, wanting to impact the educational and economic advancement portion of it is huge in order to bridge that gap. A lot of low-income areas, or people who come from that specific area, want to have a chance. It's all about equal opportunity. They deserve an opportunity. A lot of these programs and a lot of these organizations out here are trying to give people a chance, and it feels good to be a part of it and to try to make a difference."