The LuLac Edition #5, 431, September 3rd, 2025

 

WRITE ON

WEDNESDAY

Our “Write On Wednesday” logo

 This week we look at the plight of the homeless and how even after wanting to join society, there are barriers.

 

MY FRIEND JOHN:

My friend John is homeless, lives in a tent, and suffers everyday.  He freezes in the winter, gets baked in the summer, gets soaked in the rain, and gets wet and cold when it snows.  He almost died as he got extremely weak from heart failure, and he was about to faint and die.  He was very fortunate to meet some medical professionals who operated on his heart and saved his life. Of course, they did the surgery pro bono and John did not have to pay anything.  Last winter his feet were seriously injured by the cold and he narrowly avoided frost bite. He also suffers through long periods of boredom with nothing to do.   John is suffering for a very minor offense, as he was late renewing his driver's license.  This minor offense turned into a major problem.  The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) told him he needed a birth certificate to renew his license.  When he tried to get his birth certificate he was told he needed his driver's license to get the birth certificate.  He was totally frustrated by this Catch 22 situation.   To his credit he did not give up and pressed on.  He talked to several social workers who said they could not resolve the Catch 22 situation and get him a renewed license or an identification card.  He even wrote to his State Representative Eddie Day Pashinski.  As of this writing, he did not get a response.

My Intervention

I decided to do my best and help him.  I also wrote to government officials.  As of this writing, neither one has responded.  I realized that I am not a public official or a professional social worker, but I am determined to help the less fortunate and the homeless.  I remembered my background in political science and history, and I realized that research is the key to success.  I went on the Internet and did several google searches.  I found a gold mine as I found the Pennsylvania Homeless Photo Identification Card Fact Sheet.  To their credit, the State of Pennsylvania has bent over backwards to make it very easy for homeless people to obtain an identification card.  John needs only three documents to get his new identification card.  John can get his birth certificate for free, a Social Security Card which he has, or can get a new one since he worked for most of his life in Pennsylvania.  He will also need the shelter where he eats to agree to receive his mail for him.  So, it will be very easy for John to get an Identification card and get on with his life. This policy of making it easy to obtain an identification card makes life much better and easier.  It increases the independence and quality of life for the homeless.  This new Identification card makes it possible for John to obtain his basic needs such as employment, food, safe housing, quality health care, and clean water.  This program helps the homeless stabilize their lives and take care of themselves and their children.

A Homeless Individual Can Apply For A Free Identification Card

The applicant must visit the nearest Driver License Center and inform the counter staff that they are renewing or applying for their photo identification card and are requesting a free one due to their homelessness. For the initial issuance, the applicant must bring one acceptable proof of identification,  a Social Security Card, or a Social Security Administration ineligibility letter and acceptable form/s of address verification.  In the case of homeless individuals, PennDOT will accept a letter from a homeless shelter indicating that an individual is staying at the shelter or uses the shelter as an address of residency to pick up mail.

Lessons Learned

There are several life lessons to be learned from this case study.  First and foremost is self-reliance.  To his credit John did ask for help but he never received it as he did not understand the real issue.  John was given false information by bureaucrats in the Pennsylvania State Government.  John accepted this ridiculous, and false information as gospel truth. He should have questioned the advice he received and did his due diligence by researching  the issue to discover if he had any better alternatives.  The State of Pennsylvania was prepared to solve John's problem.  Since John did not do his due diligence and research he had  no idea there was a solution to the problem. It fell on me to do the research and solve the problem.   Second, do not rely on the rich and powerful to solve the problem.  As of this writing, Pennsylvania Representative Eddie Day Pashinski and Governor Josh Shapiro did not answer my emails.  Finally, Pennsylvania has a very helpful and humane policy to give homeless people a proper identification card.  If you are suffering from homelessness, do your homework, your research and find out what government programs are available to solve your problems.  The State of Pennsylvania probably has the finest identification card program for homeless people in the county and other states should adopt this program.

 

 Peter Gagliardi posted Helping The Homeless on - Biopage