On Saturday, January 18th, three local Knights assisted during the New Jersey Area’s Order of Malta ID Program. The New Jersey Area has been assisting the poor and indigent in the Newark, NJ area to obtain government issued identification cards. Many of the poor and indigent have either lost their driver’s license or other method of identification, or in many cases the identification is stolen. In addition, immigrants to the United States need assistance in navigating obtaining government-issued identification.

This ministry started many years ago under the direction of Fra Richard Wolff by assisting to obtain Essex County identification cards so that persons could at least have identification to apply for a job. The program has been expanded to coordinate obtaining non-drivers identification cards from the State of New Jersey. Every third Saturday, usually 2-3 members of the Order gather at Mercy House, which is a local assistance center operating under the auspices of the Archdiocese of Newark that provides non-perishable food, clothing, baby essentials, furniture, and aid in job and housing searches.

Those needing IDs are advised to come to Mercy House on the third Saturday of the month with the documentation that they may have, and members of the Order assist in helping reviewing their papers in order to apply for a non-drivers ID, and set up appointments with the Motor Vehicle Commission office so that they can attend. In many cases the poor and indigent are given direction to obtain the necessary documentation to allow that person obtain an ID.

In some cases, members of the Order have assisted those who need an official birth certificate, or an official marriage record. Over the course of many years, the Order has assisted countless numbers of local residents to obtain proper identification.