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How you can help families of fallen Palm Beach County deputies

More than $300,000 donated to relief efforts for fallen law enforcement officers

Within 24 hours of a crash that killed three Palm Beach County deputies late last month, donations began rolling in.

Cpl. Luis Paez, Deputy Ignacio Diaz, Deputy Sheriff Ralph Waller

By: Kendall Hyde

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Within 24 hours of a crash that killed three Palm Beach County deputies late last month, donations began rolling in.

Two organizations are working to generate more than $500,000 for the families of Deputy Ignacio "Dan" Diaz, Deputy Sheriff Ralph "Butch" Waller and Corporal Luis Paez.

"So far, we've given ... every family member $77,000 [from the PBA Charity Fund]," John Kazanjian, president of the Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association, said.

John Kazanjian, president of the Palm Beach County Police Benevolent Association, discusses how the organization is helping families of the fallen deputies.

The PBA serves as the union for the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. Kazanjian said they do this whenever an officer is hurt or killed while on duty.

"They've lost the soul provider of each household," Kazanjian said. "They're going to be in dire need of financial help and any type of other help that we can get to them."

The donations continue beyond there.

John Wegner shares how LEAF is helping the families of the fallen of the deputies.

The local nonprofit Law Enforcement Assistance Foundation (LEAF), which provides financial relief to families of hurt or killed officers on duty, has also donated to help the families.

"We (donated) $25,000 for each family immediately through grants to each one of the families," John Wegner, the president of LEAF, said.

Even though the families will never see their loved ones again, Wegner hopes small gestures like these can ease their burden.

"Unfortunately, every day an officer leaves their home and kisses their family goodbye," Wegner said. "There's never a guarantee that they're going to come home. We take the financial burden off the families during the course of this tragic event."

Both organizations have websites where you can make a donation below:

There is no deadline to donate and every donation is welcomed.
Read more of WPTV's coverage of the tragedy below: