Down syndrome awareness specialty license plate proposed for Florida

Specialty plate for Down syndrome awareness proposed

Catherine Hawley reports

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Taking advocacy on the road, a non-profit is working to get a Down syndrome awareness specialty license plate approved in Tallahassee.

"I have two sons with Down syndrome and I have a daughter with epilepsy," said Hope Chinchak.

Inspired by their family, Hope and her husband, Joe started the non-profit Our City Beautiful in 2019. Their mission is to help people with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities.

"Down syndrome is the most commonly reoccurring genetic anomaly among people," Hope said. "It occurs roughly in one in every 700 births throughout the United States."

She is hoping thousands of cars will soon become billboards advocating for the disorder.

"Here in Florida, we seem to love our specialty plates. And so I said, well, why not?"

The Sunshine State’s arsenal of specialty plates include 123 currently for sale, and another 36 in pre-sale. After being approved by the legislature, the tags have two-years to reach 3,000 pre-orders, and then they go to print or get pulled.

"I know lots of parents, advocates, guardians who want to see their loved ones with Down syndrome represented. So I don't feel in my heart that we're going to have any problem getting that," said Hope.

A pair of bills have been introduced in Tallahassee to get the Down syndrome awareness plate to the next step. The House bill is in committee, the Senate bill was filed this week.

If passed, Our City Beautiful knows exactly what the money raised will go towards.

"Our overall mission is to build a tiny home community for design, for independent living, for adults who have Down syndrome or various other disabilities," explained Hope.

50% of the funds would be used to build and maintain HOLLAND, the group’s first planned tiny home community. 35% would benefit other non-profits in the state focused on helping people with Down syndrome.

"We want to have a grant full available for those organizations that they can apply for funds to use towards their own scholarship programs," Hope said.

The remaining 15% would help fund their own scholarship program so Our City Beautiful can award multiple people every year.

"For adults, who are 18 and older, who have Down syndrome and they want to further their education. They want to go to college or school or trade school or whatever they choose," said Hope.

Hopefully bringing awareness to Down syndrome, and breaking down barriers one tag at a time.

"Having this very small way of advocating for our kids or our loved ones is such a great way to get a message across," Hope said.

LINKS: