Benny is originally from Naples but has always seen Orlando as a second home. He first came to live in Orlando 21 years ago.
Since then, Benny has battled being homeless. A combination of mental illness and drug addiction has made it difficult for him to stay off the streets.
In 2020, Benny was in Kentucky looking for work when he lost his driver’s license. With no options and no way to obtain a replacement, he returned to his second home. A few months later, he returned to IDignity for assistance replacing his ID. Just after that, he came back to replace his Florida birth certificate as well.
Benny’s hyperactivity disorder makes it hard for him to be idle, or not doing something. He says, “if I’m going to do something, I might as well do something that is going to benefit me.” Benny is currently trying to rebuild his life and these identification documents were the tools he needed to continue to pursue that goal.
After moving in with his niece just days ago, and now having his identification documents, Benny hopes to find work in the UCF area and is excited to start applying.
