A new program to help homeless people in Kentucky get official identification cards is launching next week.
Lexington officials said in a statement that they are partnering with the Fayette Circuit Court Clerk's office to start the Homeless ID Assistance Program on Monday. The statement says the program is the first of its kind in Kentucky.
Lexington Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention Director Polly Ruddick says that without an ID, it's nearly impossible for people to open banks accounts or find jobs and housing. To get an official ID, participants must take their Social Security card, a birth certificate and a letter certifying they are homeless to the clerk's office, which will supply an ID. The city is picking up the cost.