Mercedes-Benz of Coral Gables has partnered with Lauren’s Kids to launch the “Driven to Prevent Child Abuse” partnership this April in honor of National Child Abuse Prevention Month and National Sexual Assault Awareness Month.
Through this partnership, Mercedes Benz of Coral Gables has placed the Lauren’s Kids specialty plate “Love & Healing” on the entire fleet of loaner vehicles.
“We are proud to support Lauren’s Kids in their work to prevent child abuse and help survivors heal,” said Greg Barnes, president of Mercedes-Benz of Coral Gables. “We want to help let people know that it’s okay to speak up about these things, and that there is help available.”
This initiative will help raise awareness for the foundation — which works to prevent child sexual abuse and help survivors heal — and the license plate program, as well as provide a $25 contribution per loaner vehicle to Lauren’s Kids through plate sales.
Lauren’s Kids created the “Love & Healing” specialty license plate as a symbol of hope and healing for the 42 million survivors of child sexual abuse in the U.S., it was approved for sale to Florida motorists in 2014. The plate was designed and named by internationally acclaimed artist Romero Britto.
“Raising awareness and educating the community is so important every day, but especially during the month of April,” said Lauren Book, founder and CEO of Lauren’s Kids. “It’s shocking to learn that one in three girls and one in five boys will become a victim of child sexual abuse before their 18th birthday — but important to know that 95 percent of this abuse is preventable through education and awareness. We are grateful for this partnership and for the opportunity to reach even more members of the Miami-Dade community with information about prevention, reporting, and healing from abuse.”
Florida statute dictates that $25 of each “Love & Healing” specialty plate sale will be given to Lauren’s Kids to fund education and awareness efforts to prevent sexual abuse and help survivors heal in communities throughout the state. As of December 2016, there were 4,500 plates on Florida’s roads.
