Photo Caption: This photo was provided to us and taken by the staff members at IDignity. This photo was taken at one of their monthly service-fair events during the year of 2018. The monthly service-fair events are held to provide a way for those lacking a form of identification an opportunity to acquire one. Here at the events there are many different attorneys that attended as well as identification issuing government agencies. Furthermore, in addition to both the attorneys and the government agencies, there are various volunteers from the community that come out to help. In this monthly service-fair event, at a table are two individuals who are here for different reasons. On the right of the photo is a young woman by the name of Emmanuella. Emmanuella is one of the many volunteers who came out to help people get a form of identification. She is wearing a blue shirt with the IDignity logo on it and on the right side of the shirt there is a name tag with her name on it. In addition, the young woman is wearing a maroon sweater jacket over her blue IDignity shirt. Sitting in front of Emmanuella is one of the many who have come to the event to try and receive a form of identification. The man in front of Emmanuella is an older gentleman wearing a faded green polo shirt. Unlike most of the people that come to the event, this man is in a wheelchair. Being in a wheelchair can at times in life be very difficult. Coupled with being in a wheelchair not having a form of identification can make this gentleman’s life even more difficult. However with the help of Emmanuella, the attorney’s and the identification issuing government agencies this man’s life will become a lot smoother from here on out.
If someone came up to you and asked "Who are you?" what would you tell them. Most if not all people would tell the person asking their name. Now imagine if that same person told you to prove that you were who you said you were. How would you prove to them you are who you said you are? Of course most people would provide some kind of identification to prove they are who they said they were. However, some people don't have any kind of identification to prove who they are. To solve this problem the organization known as IDignity was created to help this people out.
Restoring the dignity and hope in people who don't have any form of identification is the main mission for IDignity. IDignity provides all of their services with no cost to any client that comes to them. Their clients are the disadvantaged people located in Central Florida. In addition, most of IDignity’s clients have physical and/or mental disabilities. The clients range from war veterans, domestic abuse survivors, legal immigrants, recently incarcerated prisoners and teens who come in and out of the foster care system. On a monthly basis, IDignity hosts service-fair events that brings together identification-issuing government agencies, attorneys and over 120 volunteers to help out their clients. The events are then held at the Salvation Army gym located in downtown Orlando, specifically the Parramore district. Sometimes at the events clients will receive their identification, but for others it can take several months to complete.
From the year 2007 until recently, IDignity has had around 120 monthly events. As a matter of fact, more than 20,000 unique clients have been helped during the 120 events held over the months. As stated before, all of the expenses including legal expenses and cost of the documents were all paid for by IDignity.
To find out more about the IDignity please visit their website.