Feb 1, 2017
This Thursday, February 2nd 2017, over 50 Crossroads for Women clients, staff, and volunteers will join the New Mexico Coalition to End Homeless (NMCEH) to protect funding for programs that end homelessness. Top priority for the 2017 Session is to pass legislation that brings back the Alternative ID. In 2016, MVD eliminated the Alternative ID and many people have struggled to obtain an ID under the new rules.
For many people experiencing homelessness, obtaining an ID is the first step towards housing and stability. Yet it can also be one of the most challenging.
Lisa Huval, Associate Director of NMCEH
The women at Crossroads know the strengths and challenges of the system better than most. Their candid words with legislators have initiated important and needed change in our community.
It can take several months to gather the personal documents needed to secure identification (birth certificate, Social Security card, etc.) Without ID, people experiencing homelessness face barriers to basic needs: housing, employment, and benefit programs that address hunger and health.
Anita Adalja, Case Manager at Crossroads for Women
We often hear about how elected officials are governed by money and not the will of the people they serve. However, through many real conversations with elected officials, we have found great hope in our state of New Mexico. We have seen elected officials take our perspectives into account and implement them into the policies they endorse in the legislative session.
Crossroads for Women and the New Mexico Coalition to End Homeless are thrilled to be joined this Thursday by the most powerful agents of change!