IDignity is a non-profit organization based in Downtown Orlando that assists U.S. citizens and legal residents in acquiring the necessary legal documentation required by the Real ID Act to obtain an identification card.[1] The organization helps individuals obtain their Florida State ID (or Driver's License), Birth Certificates (from any U.S. state or territory), Social Security Card, and other supporting documents for free.
| Formation | May 1, 2008 |
|---|---|
| Registration no. | CH33167 |
| Headquarters | Orlando, FL |
Key people |
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| Website | https://idignity.org/ |
IDignity operates a central location in Orlando, FL, and has additional chapters in Volusia County, Seminole County, and Osceola County.
History
editIDignity was founded and is supported by five churches in downtown Orlando: The Cathedral Church of St. Luke, First Presbyterian Church of Orlando, First United Methodist Church of Orlando, St. James Cathedral in Orlando, and Trinity Lutheran Church.[2][3] This initiative emerged when Project Homeless Connect identified the lack of affordability of identification documents as a prevalent issue among the homeless population.
Michael Dippy, IDignity's Executive Director, was honored as the 2011 Central Floridian of the Year for his dedication to the organization.[4][5]
In 2019, IDignity's first legal counsel, Jacqueline "Jackie" Dowd, received The Florida Bar Foundation's Jane Elizabeth Curran Distinguished Service Award for her contributions to improving access to civil justice for underserved communities.[6]
References
edit- ^ Hudak, Stephen (2015-10-05). "Man learns his true identity after having amnesia for 11 years". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-03-11.
- ^ IDignity, "Supporters", "idignity.org Archived 2011-02-05 at the Wayback Machine"
- ^ Orlando Sentinel, "Orlando area churches join forces to help area homeless", "2/19/2009", "orlandosentinel.org"
- ^ Orlando Sentinel, "Central Floridian of the Year", "1/2/2011", "orlandosentinel.org"
- ^ Orlando Sentinel, "We listened, Central Florida, and you were right about Michael Dippy", "1/2/2011", "orlandosentinel.org"
- ^ Florida Bar News, "IDignity Attorney Awarded Bar Foundation's Curran Award", 1/22/2019, https://www.floridabar.org/the-florida-bar-news/idignity-attorney-awarded-bar-foundations-curran-award/