Church gives free help obtaining IDs and birth certificates

“Official identification is necessary for accessing so many things and basically navigating life,” said Christine Dragonette, director of Social Ministry at St. Francis Xavier (College) Church.

“Everything from employment, housing, social services, education, health services – a lot of time it’s a barrier that’s overlooked. It’s a gateway to all these other resources that are necessary for just living life.”

St. Francis Xavier (College) Church started its Social Ministry Outreach Program (SFX Outreach Program) in 1993 to provide technical and financial support for obtaining birth certificates and Missouri state ID cards for residents in the St. Louis area.

The Missouri photo ID law that passed in 2016 and went into effect June 2017 requires voters in Missouri to possess a valid state ID. Because of that change, the State of Missouri has funding for people who don’t have IDs and need them to vote, yet can’t afford to get an ID. This could affect the outcomes of the midterm elections in Missouri.

“In addition to us covering the cost of IDs for people, we also are facilitating people accessing that state funding who are eligible, because a lot of people don’t know about the law because it’s not really out there,” Dragonette said.

“When we talk about it, people will get a lot of blank stares like, ‘I have no idea what this law is,’ so we’ll give people information on what the law is and then help them to get the free ID for voting if that’s something that they need.”

When guests attend SFX Outreach Program’s walk-in hours, they meet one-on-one with a volunteer who helps them to navigate the process of obtaining either a U.S. birth certificate (from any state), a Missouri state ID, or both documents. If guests’ needed documents require more identification than they have with them, the volunteer assists them in working through their options to prove identity. Dragonette said the center sees between 3,250 to 3,500 people each year during its walk-in hours.

“We do see a lot of people, but we still are very intentional about seeing people one-on-one, spending the time that we need, hearing if someone just has a lot going on and just wants to share their story or has other resource needs,” Dragonette said. “We’ll work with them to figure out what their next steps are in addition to just assisting with the IDs and birth certificates.”

The vast majority of volunteers at the center are parishioners at the church. One of the newer volunteers, Mary White, joined the outreach program as part of her faith. She taught  for more than 20 years at Saint Louis University, a Jesuit institution with which the parish is connected, and recently retired in January.

“I’m interested in giving back to the community, but combining it also with my religious beliefs,” White said. “The founder of the Jesuits talked about prayer being the basis for action, so this is a way that my prayer is reflected in my action.”

Another volunteer, Jolene Grosch, said, “This is our parish, and this is our mission. If you don’t have an ID or a birth certificate, you are blocked from doing so many different other things, and once we get beyond this particular need, other opportunities can open up. It’s a place to start.”

The majority of clients that the outreach center assists are African-American, homeless, or previously incarcerated. Lashuna Rancher is an African-American woman who visited the center seeking paperwork to get her 13-year-old son registered in school, as well as assistance from the state and better housing.

“They’re giving me other resources to job searches, and they are also going to help me with some referrals for housing,” Rancher said. “I really love it. I really appreciate it, because without them I would still be in a loop of not knowing where to go.”

St. Francis Xavier (College) Church is located at 3628 Lindell Blvd. in St. Louis. For more information or to schedule a visit, contact Christine Dragonette at (314) 977-7309 or dragonettecm@slu.edu.