BY Jurry Taalib-Deen
Journal Staff Writer
Tina Butts, owner of T-Bonds/Tina Butts Bail Bondsmen, motions to The Toledo Journal to enter her office, which is located in downtown Toledo, 1709 Spielbusch, directly across from the county jail and have a seat. It’s early Thursday evening, March 11 and she’s on the phone informing different people that they can go and get their Covid-19 vaccination.
By trade, she’s a bail bondsman dealing in all types of bonds from guardianship, janitorial, travel checks and those dealing with being released from jail, just to name a few. But at that particular moment, Ms. Butts was wearing one of her other “hats,” which was social justice; making sure those people most at risk of catching Covid-19 receive their vaccination.
For nearly nine years, Ms. Butts has been writing all types of bonds. But perhaps being a bail bondsman is what she’s most recognized as throughout Toledo.
Certified by the Ohio Department of Insurance, Ms. Butts said she didn’t expect her business, as well as the things that have spun off from her business, to grow into what it has grown into.
On the bail bondsman side, she proudly said, “In the years I’ve worked in this field, I’ve never had to take collateral from no one, nor have I taken anyone to court.”
“At the end of the day, this is still a job, but it gives me the opportunity to talk to and help the people that we bond out of jail; I’m really proud that I’m able to help people,” Ms. Butts said.
A few of the ways she’s able to help the people she bond out of jail, is connect them to a variety of social programs and register them to vote.
“I couldn’t do all this by myself,” Ms. Butts quickly adds. “My team, the other bondsmen also write bonds.”
Another venture Ms. Butts is passionate about is The Movement, which is a collection of energetic grass root advocates formed to empower the community through voter education and registration, according to their website.
Over the years, The Movement has registered people to vote and transported those who needed a ride, to the voting polls.
Even still, the reach of Ms. Butts extends into the realm of helping people battle substance abuse, helping supply children with school supplies, help people start businesses and become homeowners.
Her future plans are to be able to continue to help people in those avenues, as well as help other grass-root advocates, who are trying to help people.
“I’m glad I’m in a position to help people, especially children, the elderly and young single mothers,” Ms. Butts said.
Where there’s a need, she quickly tries to find a way to fulfill it.
