Reflection: A Simple Piece of Paper

When volunteer attorney Molly Carney joined the North City Photo ID Project, she expected to help someone fill out paperwork. What she found instead was a powerful reminder of how one document—a birth certificate—can open the door to safety, stability, and dignity.

Opening Doors Through Documentation

At the Ashrei Foundation’s North City Photo ID Project, every ID we help someone obtain represents far more than just a card—it’s access, safety, and recognition. Our volunteers play a vital role in helping community members overcome the often complicated web of documentation requirements that stand between them and a government-issued photo ID.

Volunteer attorney Molly Carney recently shared her experience assisting a client through this process. Her story highlights both the practical challenges and the human impact of this work.

Volunteer attorney Reflection

I am sharing my experience volunteering as an attorney to help a clinic client with obtaining a new Missouri government ID.

We needed to get a copy of the client’s birth certificate from the state of Hawaii. After several moves and life events, the client no longer had an original copy of her birth certificate. She had a copy of the birth certificate and other supporting documentation confirming her identity, but these documents were not sufficient to satisfy the various requirements for a Hawaii birth certificate and Missouri ID.

As an attorney, I assisted with an application to the state of Hawaii to provide the client with her birth certificate. After meeting with the client and confirming her identity, we completed and sent the application. After several weeks, the client received her birth certificate in the mail and was able to proceed with obtaining her Missouri ID.

I had two main takeaways from this experience.

First, navigating the plethora of documentation requirements to obtain a form of identification is often confusing, difficult, and time-consuming. Acquiring one simple (but very important!) piece of paper may take hours of effort. Christine Dragonette at College Church and her counterparts at Ashrei endeavor to compassionately assist clients with navigating this process and diligently following up with the appropriate parties.

Second, the client mentioned how she was afraid that based on her appearance, she would get mistaken for an undocumented immigrant and picked up. In addition to the standard reasons that folks need photo identification (for example, to vote or access health care), now an ID can be essential for staying safe, and not being locked up or even mistakenly deported. This work is more important than ever to protect the rights of our citizens and neighbors.

“Now an ID can be essential for staying safe—and not being locked up or even mistakenly deported.”
— Attorney Molly Carney

making a difference

Molly’s story reminds us that something as simple as a birth certificate can be the key to stability, safety, and belonging. What might seem like routine paperwork is, for many, a lifeline—one that reconnects them to opportunity and dignity.

We are deeply grateful to Molly and all of our North City Photo ID Project volunteers who bring compassion, persistence, and professional expertise to this work. Together, we’re helping ensure that every person in our community has the identification they need to fully participate in civic and economic life.

About the Author
Molly Carney is a St. Louis-based attorney and volunteer with the Ashrei Foundation’s North City Photo ID Project.