“Zion Lutheran Church supports the community ID because God has called us to serve the people in our west Davenport neighborhood. The community ID would make it possible for Zion’s houseless neighbors and customers at Zion’s food pantry to get jobs and seek housing.
“Not having an ID is a major barrier and keeps them dependent on charity. And this at a time of great need and high food prices, when our resources and capacity to help are stretched beyond the maximum. Zion wants our neighbors to have IDs so they can support themselves and their families! The community ID would make for a stronger Scott County as a whole.”
—Rev. Clark Olson-Smith, pastor of Zion Lutheran Church, Davenport
In March, Zion’s church council put Zion’s support behind a Quad Cities Interfaith initiative for a Scott County Community ID, which requires approval of the Scott County Board of Supervisors.
A Scott County community ID card could be used to:
- Open a bank account
- Confirm one’s identity when using credit cards
- Pick up prescriptions at the pharmacy
- Provide proof of identity for leases and utilities
- Obtain a library card
- Return items to the store
- Report a crime
- Interact with schools, hospitals, civic and community organizations and law enforcement
You can read Pastor Clark’s full letter to the Board here:
You can learn more about the initiative from the Quad City Times and The Catholic Messenger. And from this QCI letter of support with institutional signers, which include local congregations and credit unions, the Davenport Diocese, CASI, Davenport Public Library, NAACP Davenport, OneEighty, The Center, Transitions Mental Health Services, and more.
You can also sign up to display a yard sign at your house.