Rewards for Justice Fund Founders Pledge Free CT "United We Stand" License Plates for 9/11 Victims' Families

The Founders of the Rewards for Justice Fund have offered free "United We Stand" license plates for Connecticut families of 9/11 victims. The Connecticut license plate is one of five such plates that are available for sale. The Rewards for Justice Fund was created to allow ordinary citizens to contribute to American anti-terrorism efforts. The specialty license plate program is one of those ways. The Rewards for Justice Fund was started by business leaders in Connecticut.

The Norwalk, Conn.-based Rewards for Justice Fund today announced that the charitys co-founders will donate United We Stand" license plates to the families of all Connecticut victims of the brutal September 11 attacks on America.

The Connecticut United We Stand" license plate originated last December when the Funds co-founders, Scott Case and Joe Rutledge, first proposed to Connecticut lawmakers that such a plate be created. The two Connecticut residents did so as part of a broader United We Stand" license plate campaign that has resulted in the creation of new, patriotic license plates in six states so far: Connecticut, Florida, South Carolina, Virginia, New Jersey and Massachusetts.

The Rewards for Justice Fund expects several additional states to authorize United We Stand" license plates in the months ahead.

United We Stand" license plates have not been donated to victims families in other states, but are first being offered in Connecticut because of the special kinship the Funds leaders feel for their fellow residents of the state.

None of us can ever erase the pain and suffering these families have endured over the past year," Case said. But with the introduction of these new license plates, all of us can do a little something to help assure that other families are spared from such suffering, and other acts of terrorism are averted."

Purchasers of the new United We Stand" license plates will pay the regular Connecticut two-year automobile registration fee of $70 dollars, plus an additional fee of $50 dollars. Fees for Connecticuts other specialty license plates range from $50 dollars to $65 dollars.

Under the legislation that authorized creation of the new patriotic plates, the State of Connecticuts Department of Motor Vehicles will receive $15 dollars of each additional $50 dollar fee paid to acquire a United We Stand" license plate. The remaining $35 dollars will be even split between the Rewards for Justice Fund, and programs to benefit the families of Connecticut residents who died in the tragic events of September 11th.

A full 100% of all revenues collected by the Rewards for Justice Fund from the sale of license plates, or from individual donations, are for use solely by the Rewards For Justice Program. The Program, which is administered by the United States Department of State, uses reward money to entice informants into revealing information regarding terrorist plans and hiding places. Since its establishment by Congress in 1984, the Rewards for Justice Program has played a key role in the apprehension of dozens of violent terrorists around the world, including Ramzi Yousef, who is now behind bars for his role in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

For more information, visit www.RewardsFund.us or call Thomas J. McFeeley (203) 354-1675.