June 2025 Newsletter

33,717
unique individuals assisted in establishing legal proof of their identities

“I met a gentleman from New York who needed his birth certificate. When I asked him if he knew the name of the hospital he was born, he told me he didn’t know. When I asked him what county he was born and he told me “Rockland County,” I told him there were only two hospitals there. (I was raised and lived in New City, NY in Rockland County for 20 years.) Turns out he…”

READ THE REST OF LOUISE’S STORY HERE.

IDignity welcomes our newest Board Member, Sarah Asma!

Sarah is the Executive Director of The Big Nova Foundation, which has tremendously supported IDignity in our Capital Campaign. Sarah also joined the Young Professionals for IDignity group. Her nonprofit and legal background will be a valuable addition to IDignity’s board, and we are grateful for her commitment and passion!

“I believe strongly in IDignity’s mission. More than ever, I think we need people who are willing to look out for the less fortunate to step into the world.
IDignity welcomes our new Legal Counsel, Richard Young! He will be working directly with clients insuring they have the proper representation in cases to obtain their legal identification. “In a world filled with conflict, IDignity offers the opportunity to make a real substantive difference in someone’s life every week.”

Welcome to our new Grant Writer, Jessica Hubbard! She’ll be working alongside our development team on grant writing, researching, and strategizing.

“I was drawn to IDignity because of its focused and impactful mission. While the mission is specific, it has a far-reaching impact across many areas of life, from employment and housing to healthcare and personal dignity. It’s powerful to be part of an organization that creates real, tangible change by addressing such a foundational need.”

June’s Golden Ticket goes to IDignity Volunteer Tobe Lev!
Tobe’s dedication, flexibility, and steady, calming presence create an environment of trust and comfort with every client he works with. We are so thankful for Tobe’s hardworking spirit and steadfastness in the mission to restore dignity and hope by providing identification.

“I support IDignity because I like the organization. I’m around cheerful people. It’s a good thing to do when you’re retired and looking for something constructive to do.”

Identification Service Day Sponsor

We’re proud to recognize Epoch Residential as our Sponsor of the Month! Epoch has gone above and beyond in their commitment to IDignity’s mission – sending dedicated groups of volunteers, providing generous financial support, and most recently, deepening their partnership by having their President join the IDignity Board of Directors. Their continued investment in restoring dignity and hope is making a real and lasting impact in our community. Thank you, Epoch Residential, for being a true ally in this work!

Ally the of Month

Cathedral Church of St. Luke recently donated children’s books, coloring books, and wallets, which will bring both joy and practical support to the individuals and families we serve. The Cathedral Church of St. Luke is one of the five founding churches of IDignity. Since 2008, the Cathedral has stood beside IDignity through financial support, compassion, and a heart for serving those most in need. Their dedication to uplifting our community shines through in every act of kindness, and we’re deeply grateful for their faithful partnership.

A special thank you to these partners for their recent grants and support.

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Kiara’s Six Year Adventure

Kiara’s older sibling used to tell her she was adopted. A stranger at the DMV told her the same thing. It turns out, they were both wrong. When Kiara Fraizer was young, her older sister tried to convince her she was ‘born on a ship in a pile of doo-doo.’ Kiara wrote it off as annoying and typical sibling behavior and never thought it would come back to haunt her – until she went to obtain her Florida gold star ID. Born and raised in Ohio, Kiara never had any issues getting her ID, but when she showed the clerk her documents to obtain her Florida REAL ID it was clear something was wrong. Kiara’s last names on her Social Security card and birth certificate were different. One document had her father’s last name and the other had her mother’s last name. Confused and bewildered, Kiara could only stare at the two documents while the clerk attempted to explain why this could be happening.

“This [discrepancy] usually happens when you get an amended birth certificate, so you’re adopted,” the clerk told her. Suddenly, she could hear her sister’s words taunting her, “You were born on a ship in a pile of doo-doo, and you were adopted!” But still, Kiara knew this was not true.

In fact, the reasoning for her mismatched documents was much simpler. Her parents had an argument and her dad’s name ended up being omitted from her birth certificate. Thus, the last name on her birth certificate was listed as her mother’s. However, when Kiara got her Social Security card, her last name was listed as her father’s. So there was no record of how her name went from Harris to Fraizer. Now, years later as a single mom with two kids, Kiara needed her gold star Florida ID since she is no longer a resident of Ohio. “I went [to apply] for rental assistance and I got denied because I didn’t have a Florida ID [my Ohio ID wouldn’t work]. Everything else went through but I didn’t have that ID.”

Proving Kiara Fraizer and Kiara Harris were one and the same became a struggle. Five years passed as Kiara searched for a way to fix her mismatched last names. Kiara spoke to her mom, who recommended IDignity where her mom had previously received her ID.

Kiara worked with the two lawyers on staff, Kelly and Sharlene (pictured above), for a few months. “The process just started immediately, no fees, no anything. They knew exactly what to do from day one. This was a big, big milestone because it was a hindrance in my life.”

After going in front of a judge to get her name change approved, Kiara was able to amend her birth certificate to list her last name as Fraizer. Now, Kiara is able to get her gold star Florida ID, be REAL ID compliant, and get her kids into school without any issues.

“They [school officials] want to see your birth certificate to prove you are their parent. I had to tell them the whole story. It looked like I was two people because I had two last names; my kids were Fraizer and I was Harris.”

Finally, after nearly six years, Kiara’s last name matched her identification documents. “[I] feel complete. Having Fraizer on my birth certificate makes me complete and whole with my dad and my family. I’m telling you, IDignity has completed my family. I can call my dad and tell him I will have Fraizer on my birth certificate now!”

In addition, Kiara can now tell her sister that she was NOT born on a ship in a pile of doo-doo!