UPDATE ON THE ID PROGRAM

"Know Your Neighbor." This video, created by local filmmaker Aaron Farrington, includes interviews with several local immigrants and refugees who tell their stories - where they came from, why they felt compelled to leave their homelands, the challenges and opportunities they found since coming here. The film had its premier during Welcoming Week 2018, and was screened at the 2018 Virginia Film Festival. We may create short versions for school uses.

ID card program. According to one estimate, 11% of American citizens have no ID card, and large numbers of non-citizens lack IDs as well. Many communities are developing their own verifiable IDs for those needing them, including some immigrants, the homeless, people returning from prison, elderly who no longer drive. The experience thus far is very positive - over 12,500 people in N. Carolina have received such cards, as have people in S. Carolina, Indiana, Ohio among other states.

ID cards are needed to open a bank account and take out loans, buy certain prescription drugs, check into a hotel, apply for certain municipal and health services.  These cards also give people a sense of belonging. And they can create greater trust between immigrant groups and law enforcement, and that trust improves community safety. Two local churches are sponsoring our ID card program, which launched in March, 2019.

Educational programs. We develop programs that give people information about, and insights into the lives of immigrants and refugees: the contributions they make to our community, the challenges they face when they arrive here, who is at risk for deportation, important laws, and the like. Our first program was "Dreaming America," a play performed by Charlottesville High School students. The play is based on a book of the same title, which contains poems written by teenagers from South America who are currently being held in detention in Virginia.

Welcoming Week.  This annual celebration of our community's diverse residents takes place each September. It includes over 20 events that include films, health screenings, celebrations of various cultures, talks panel discussions and more. We publicize all events on our website and in other ways. We also offer some Welcoming Week events of our own.

Political advocacy. We aren't a partisan organization. That said, we are posting information on our Facebook page about important political and other matters that affect the groups we support, to educate people and encourage them to take action on pressing issues. We'll make statements as a task force when we have consensus on an issue.

COMING EVENTS

Community ID Card Program

This program provides verifiable ID cards for those who need one. While it isn't a government ID, it will be helpful for people seeking City or County services, to obtain certain prescription drugs, in dealing with law enforcement, to get library cards and for other uses.

Click here for more information.

Upcoming ID Card Drives

When: Saturday, February 1
Where: Incarnation Church,
1465 Incarnation Dr., Charlottesville, VA 22902

Schedule:

8:00 a.m. Doors open

9:00 a.m. Required 30-minute orientation

Notes:

1. Be sure to bring the required documents:

   • What's Needed (English)

   • What's Needed (Spanish)

2. The entire process can take up to 2 hours, depending on the number of people applying.

• Since our start in March 2019, we've issued 496 IDs.

• Several local organizations have agreed to give card holders free or reduced admission to their programs. These include:

  • Brooks Family Y

  • Virginia Discovery Museum

  • Live Arts

  • The Paramount (for certain movies and performances)

  • The VA Film Festival

• We recently held an ID drive after Sunday church services in a local church. Many people who already have a government ID signed up for our ID card.  We'll do this at other places of worship in the coming months.

• We are starting to give our applicants information on a number of other programs and services at our ID drives, including: local English as a second language services, the 2020 Census, and health services that accept our ID. 

• UVA's Latino Health Initiative will provide health screening and related services at one of our upcoming ID drives.

OUR INITIATIVES

What Cardholders Say About the ID

• "I was able to get my glasses prescription filled with it."

• "The card allowed me to open up a Comcast account and get cable and internet set-up in my home."

• "My new landlord was able to verify who I was and allowed me to sign my lease."

• "I enrolled my children in school."

• "The card helps me feel accepted by the community.  I didn't feel that way before."

• "I needed to get a medical appointment for my daughter, which required an ID. This was all I had, and they accepted it.