Help people affected by the coronavirus pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has been an uncertain time for all of us, and that makes asking for money difficult. But please keep reading so you can understand why we are asking you to give at a time like this.

IDignity had a client named Rahsaan. He moved to Florida to work a seasonal position teaching music. When that position ended, he set out to find a new place to work. Before he could apply for a job, he needed to get a Florida ID card.

When Rahsaan went to apply for his Florida ID, he discovered the last name on his birth certificate did not match the last name on his Social Security card. Because the names didn’t match, Rahsaan could not get his ID. Without an ID, he couldn’t work. So, Rahsaan and his wife, Carole, became homeless. They spent three years trying to fix the problem before they found IDignity.

Thanks to the support of amazing donors like you, Rahsaan now has his Florida ID. He and his wife have a home. And he has a great job at the University of Central Florida.

But why are we telling you this? Because…

Over 1 million people in the state of Florida filed for unemployment since the beginning of March. This number does not account for the thousands of individuals who do not have proper identification and will find themselves in the same situation Rahsaan found himself – unable to apply for unemployment or find a new job and on the brink of homelessness.

You can help these individuals obtain their identification so they can recover from this crisis.

Your gift to IDignity will restore dignity and hope to people like Rahsaan and will help provide the essential tool they need to move forward after this crisis.

Are you looking for ways you can help?

Going into 2020, none of us would have imagined we would be facing our first pandemic as an organization and as a global community, but here we are. With this comes a lot of uncertainty, specifically continued funding for IDignity.

One thing is for certain – once this pandemic comes to an end and we all return to our daily lives, the need for identification will be even greater. There will be numerous people looking for work, people who lost their job in the wake of the coronavirus and don’t have proper identification. Without that identification, finding employment will be nearly impossible. A former client, Trina, had this exact problem – her ID expired while she had a job, she lost her job, and when she went to find a new place to work, she couldn’t.

What can you do to help people like Trina?

• Consider making a financial gift – click this link to support the people who need to find a job but don’t have the identification they need to secure employment. You can make a one-time donation that will ensure IDignity weathers this storm and is ready to serve those in need of identification, or you can set up recurring gifts to sustain IDignity’s mission long past this pandemic.
• Share IDignity’s mission with friends and family – click this link for ideas and resources you can use to spread the word about IDignity.

Your support, whether financial or by raising awareness, will ultimately help countless individuals get back on their feet.

Thank YOU so much for helping IDignity endure and come out of this stronger than before.

Does your ID have a gold star on it? Here’s why that matters.

Going into full effect by May 3, 2023, passengers will be required to show a REAL ID-compliant license to board commercial flights.

Written by Mark Marante, IDignity Intern from UCF’s Nicholson School of Communication and Media

Like me, you’re probably just now realizing that you do or don’t have a gold star icon somewhere on your ID. If that’s the case, you have yet to be directly affected by the REAL ID Act, unless you’ve tried entering a federal facility, but if you plan to take a commercial flight in the future, you might want to make sure you have that little gold star on your driver’s license or ID.

What is the REAL ID Act and why was it created?

The REAL ID Act was set into motion following the 9/11 attacks to reduce the likelihood of terrorism occurring on commercial aircrafts. The act was successfully passed over 15 years ago in 2005 to increase the security of state-issued IDs and driver’s licenses. In simpler terms, the act makes it more difficult to obtain a state-issued ID and requires federal agencies to only accept IDs compliant with the act. Over the course of the past 15 years, the REAL ID Act has mainly affected federal agencies and facilities such as military bases and nuclear power plants.

Who is affected by the REAL ID Act?

The reason why you may have remained unaware about the REAL ID Act all these years, like me, is because you probably haven’t needed a REAL ID yet. We’re not alone either. A survey conducted by the U.S. Travel Association shows that the majority of Americans — around 99 million — do not have REAL ID-compliant licenses or identification cards. Unbelievable, right? This is because the act has been implemented in a series of phases. It’s not the easiest task to get all 50 states to comply at once. Many states were granted extensions in order to give them more time to reach full compliance.

The first three phases of the REAL ID Act have already been implemented and really only affect restricted and semi-restricted federal areas and facilities. These include employees, guests and visitors of military bases, nuclear power plants and federal buildings using ID-based access. So, unless you are employed by any of these facilities or have tried to visit them, you have not been required to present a REAL ID.

If you do not have a REAL ID or a valid passport by this time next year, you may be affected by the act. Starting on May. 3, 2023, the last phase of the REAL ID Act will go into full effect. Phase four will require all passengers who plan to board a federally regulated commercial aircraft to present a REAL ID with a gold star or a valid passport. Seems simple enough. You would think everyone has gotten the memo by now or at least has a passport, right? I thought so too, but according to the same survey conducted by the U.S. Travel Association, only 53% of Americans hold a valid passport.

How do you obtain a REAL ID and why should you?

If you have obtained an ID or driver’s license in a fully compliant state since the act was put into effect, you most likely already have a gold star to show you have a REAL ID. If not, you will need to provide quite a few documents in order to update your license/ID. As listed on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security website, you must present documentation accepted by your state proving:

1. Full legal name
2. Date of birth
3. Social security number
4. Two proofs of principal residence
5. Lawful status

Without documents like a birth certificate or social security card it becomes nearly impossible to prove your identity, legal residence or birth date. Providing these documents is where many people encounter difficulties.

So, if you plan to travel via commercial aircraft after May 3, 2023, you want to make sure your ID/license is REAL ID compliant. Federal airports will still accept valid passports if your ID is not compliant, but it is best to have both if you are a frequent traveler.

If you need assistance obtaining a birth certificate, Social Security card or Florida ID, check out IDignity’s services to find out how and when we can help.

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Additional Sources:

Washington Post – Do you have questions about Real ID? We’ve got answers.

New York Times – Don’t Have a Real ID? You’re Not the Only One

Upgraded Points – The REAL ID Act: What It Means, State by State Requirements, & Updates

Ivanisse’s Identity

Ivanisse’s Identity

Written by Madhavi Mooljee, Rollins Bonner Program Intern

American society delays adulthood so the harsh reality of life’s challenges doesn’t hit us all at once. But some young adults, like Ivanisse, are thrown right into the deep end.

Ivanisse is 18 years old. Her life recently became much harder when she lost her identification. Unable to receive money transfers or access her bank account due to her lack of identification, Ivanisse came to IDignity hoping she would be able to receive her new ID and “move on with [her] life.”

When asked what motivates her to keep going, Ivanisse said, “Everyone wants to fulfill a dream; everyone wants to be someone. You have to move on and can’t let anything hold you down.”

At just 18, Ivanisse has learned a lesson that many adults haven’t ever had to discover: Hard work is not enough; without hope, there is no progress.

Like any young adult, she is still discovering who she is. Ivanisse plans to use her ID to start her college education and travel to new places. While her new identification provides the proof of identity that she needs to move forward, her true identity is reflected in the determination already ingrained in her character.

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Remembering Jackie Dowd

It is with great sadness that we share with you the news of Jackie Dowd passing away Saturday, November 23.

Jackie is still with all of us. The impact and the imprint she has left on our lives and innumerable others will continue to resonate.

IDignity will hold a memorial service to celebrate the life of Jackie Dowd with some uniquely Jackie specifications. This celebration of her remarkable life will be held at 6 PM, Sunday, December 8, at Castle Church Brewing Community, 6820 Hoffner Ave., #1, Orlando, FL 32822.

Jackie has requested that all in attendance wear a Hawaiian or similarly colorful shirt. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to IDignity.

Below are several articles about Jackie and her inspirational life:

Jackie Dowd died fighting cancer. She lived fighting for others

Jackie Dowd, ‘hero’ attorney for the poor and homeless, dies

Working Toward The Greater Good | A Letter In Support of Freedom

Dear reader,

I recently returned from my first trip to Vietnam in almost 50 years. I explored Saigon with the help of a local guide and found an exciting modern city with fascinating places to visit and delicious food.

Last time I was there, my trip wasn’t so leisurely. I didn’t even get near Saigon. Like many men of my generation, I first saw Vietnam as a rural, agriculture-driven country, torn apart by war. I had just graduated from high school and enlisted in the U.S. Army, where I was assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade as a paratrooper. During a year in combat, you learn how important your identification (or ‘dog tags’) can be.

My Army experiences made me a better businessman, father, friend and overall person. Through military service, I learned what is possible when people work together toward a larger mission. For the last eight years, volunteering for IDignity — first at events, then as a board member and treasurer — has given me the same sense of pride in working toward the greater good.

Supporting IDignity means that you are helping people solve a problem that they cannot easily solve alone. Having an ID unlocks doors to many essentials: a job, an apartment, a plane ticket, a bank account and more. Even more than that, it helps people restore a sense of their identity.

When I came home from my service in Vietnam, I switched my focus from fighting to training. I became a drill sergeant, responsible for teaching the basic Army skills that are needed to be an effective soldier. We also taught a set of values which I believe are among the same strengths that drive IDignity today.

IDignity’s events are an incredible display of teamwork between the volunteers who serve, the government agencies who provide on-the-spot service and the donors who support the logistical costs of identification for over 200 people each month. When clients walk through the doors, there’s no single person who can help them get their ID — it takes the whole team.

Through discipline, IDignity has created an effective, compassionate, and mission-driven environment, which makes volunteers want to return. And as volunteers return with more experience, we can better help clients.

The teamwork and discipline pay off in the sense of pride we witness when clients pick up their identification, knowing that they can then look for a job, take care of their families, rent a home and find stability. It’s an amazing thing to witness the joy that clients experience — a newfound sense of freedom that many of them haven’t known for months or even years.

This Fourth of July, as we come together to celebrate our freedom, I hope you also take a moment to appreciate the opportunities this country has given you. Then think about all those who are unable to access these opportunities because they cannot prove their identity. This Independence Day, you can help those individuals regain the freedom that comes with being able to prove who you are. Please consider joining me in supporting this mission with a gift to IDignity.

Thank you,

Nick Degel
IDignity Volunteer and Board Member

A New Lease On Life

It’s the third Thursday of March in Florida. It’s surprisingly cold.

A woman stands in line at The Salvation Army nervously gripping the handles of the wheelchair in front of her where her elderly mother sits. The woman is pretty sure this IDignity thing is too good to be true.

Recently she met someone at her church who told her an organization called IDignity would be able to help her replace her stolen ID. Despite the doubts swirling around in her head, she is in line at IDignity. She needs a new ID to be able to renew her lease before a fast-approaching deadline. She brought her mother because Mom needs a valid ID to be able to see a doctor.

As she worries about what she will do when this doesn’t work, a man with a mustache and a red IDignity shirt walks up to the woman and her mother. He has a stack of numbered cards and a clipboard.

The man introduces himself, “Good morning, my name is Charlie. What is your name?”

Looking down at Charlie’s out-stretched hand, the woman extends her own. This handshake is a kindness she hasn’t encountered throughout all of her struggles to replace her ID. As she feels herself begin to trust Charlie, and IDignity, she says “Hi, my name is Pam…”

–  –  –

It’s the third Thursday in August in Florida. It’s hot.

Pam stands in line at The Salvation Army, gripping the handles of the wheelchair in front of her. A couple of months back, after their birth certificates arrived, Pam and her mother received their new gold star IDs.

Pam (right) with her neighbor (center) and the woman who introduced her to IDignity (left)

On the day Pam got her ID, she told IDignity she intended to come back and volunteer. But today, she is not at IDignity to volunteer.

She is in line with a neighbor from her low-income housing complex. Her neighbor also needs an ID to be able to sign her lease. Luckily, Pam knew exactly who could help.

Pam knows the journey from anonymity to identity, from fear to hope. She now calls herself a walking billboard for IDignity, continuing to bring others to a place where they can find hope, too.