The lack of an official ID or birth certificate provides significant barriers for people facing homelessness -- getting this documentation can be expensive and difficult to get without a home address.
Horizon Community Accelerator is trying to help Northern Kentucky's homeless population by helping them obtain the IDs and documents they need.
The organization is collecting donations through November, to donate to schools and nonprofits in the area that coordinate directly to help people facing eviction and homelessness. The donations will fund three major things: bus passes, birth certificates and IDs.
Organizations like Welcome House of Northern Kentucky are hoping to use the funds to help families within their shelter.
"It's virtually impossible to escape homelessness without having an ID or birth certificate," said Danielle Amrine, CEO of Welcome House.
Horizon Community Accelerator is hoping that members of the community will donate $4 to the cause, with the overall goal of $120,000 in place for the cause.
"A four dollar contribution from someone, a cup of coffee, nice cup of coffee, could make a difference in really supporting their neighbors," said Nancy Grayson, president of Horizon Community Funds.
William Brown, who was homeless for two and a half years, said one of the things that made it hardest to get back on his feet was his lack of a personal ID or birth certificate.
"Get a job, go to school, or obtain shelter," said Brown. "Anything that was beneficial to me, I wasn't able to do because I didn't have an ID or a birth certificate."
Amrine said access to this donation would allow their case managers to use the funding to get the documentation people facing homelessness in Northern Kentucky.
Click here for more information or if you're interested in donating to the initiative.
