PHOTOS: Benton Harbor driver’s license restoration clinic provides Michiganders with free advice and resources

BENTON HARBOR, Mich. - West Michigan residents seeking the restoration of their driver's license received free advice from volunteer attorneys, experts with the Michigan Department of State (MDOS), and partners like Michigan WORKS! of Berrien, Cass and Van Buren Counties at the Road to Restoration clinic in Benton Harbor on March 18.

"Having a valid driver's license is not just about getting from point A to point B, it is essential to meeting basic life necessities. It is about driving freely to take your child to school, going to a doctor's appointment, or picking up groceries to have food on the table" said Abigayl Venman, Road to Restoration director. "Navigating the process of restoring your driving privileges can be daunting. Our clinics simplify the process by bringing resources all together in one place to give you clarity when taking the journey back on the road."

"One of the things we found is that transportation is a major barrier for the community," said Allegra Hulsey, customer experience manager at Michigan WORKS! Of Berrien, Cass and Van Buren Counties. "If we don't have reliable transportation to work or to school, then we're not helping anybody be successful. While we work to eliminate barriers at Michigan WORKS!, the Road to Restoration is a really great avenue for individuals who don't know how to answer their own questions, aren't sure where to start with getting their license back. The individuals that have been served are taking the necessary steps to be able to become self-sufficient, become educated, and to make sure that they can get on the road so that they can be reliable at work. While we work on job readiness, they also need to be able to get there. It's been a really important impact on our community. Benton Harbor is an incredibly resilient community, and the more that we can do with our state partners to support the individuals that come to see us and need barriers removed, the better we are for it."

"Having my license will open up a road of freedom for me," said James Dayson, a clinic attendee. "I have a two-year-old son that's reckless, and I'm worried about having to drive him to the hospital. Broken bones, stretching where he's not supposed to be stretched because he loves jumping, he loves playing. He warms my heart, and my license is for him."

"The fact that obviously the state isn't necessarily adversarial," said Kamau Sandiford, Clean Slate program manager at Safe & Just Michigan, an organization at the clinic. "They actually want to help people get their license back. It's something I guess legally they don't have to in the sense that they don't have to take this additional step in setting up these clinics, but they do it, nonetheless. Whenever you have a state organization that's willing to take that extra step in helping people, it's extremely beneficial and people should take advantage of that. The clinics pretty much are a one stop shop. This process is inherently kind of cumbersome. There's paperwork, there's stuff you have to get from different areas. You might get one thing one at one place, but then you might have to go to another place to get something else. The fact that you can come to one clinic and get all these resources readily available is extremely helpful."

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