Today is National Down Syndrome Day – Meet Katie Lowe, owner, Cheetah Greetings

Today is National Down Syndrome Day. Katie Lowe has Down’s Syndrome. Katie started her own business, and is helping on behalf of this cause.

The developmental disability community in Rhode Island has been hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with many of their resources, such as in-person learning, or home service aides, having been cut off. Within this community, new small business owners are struggling, but are doing an excellent job of helping each other…and other charities as well.

In honor of National Down Syndrome Awareness Day (March 21) and National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (March,) Katie Lowe, founder of Cheetah Greetings will be donating 30% of all proceeds from her special Friendship Line to The National Down Syndrome Congress, The National Down Syndrome Society, and The Global Down Syndrome Foundation. Katie’s company says, “On March 21 every year, we celebrate World Down syndrome Day (WDSD). WDSD is celebrated on this day to represent the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome, which causes Down syndrome. This is a day of awareness and education. Cheetah Greetings is celebrating this year with our friendship cards. These cards are blue and yellow, the color of Down syndrome awareness. They are all handcrafted and individual. We have chosen 3 places to donate the profits to: The National Down syndrome Congress, The National Down syndrome Society, and the Global Down syndrome Foundation.

A true passion for caring – the person behind the cards

Katie Lowe lives in Warwick, RI with her family. She loves pizza, the color pink, summertime, musicals, and of course cheetah! She created Cheetah Greetings because she enjoys making cards and making people happy. She likes to make personalized cards for family and wanted to do it for her business! Her cards are made by using patterned cardstock and stamping. Have a special request? Want a personalized card with a picture of your loved one? She can do that! Send her a message below or call Cheetah Greetings at 401-206-0599… we can’t wait to talk to you!

In addition, there are a number of Rhode Island small business owners in the developmental disability community that are committed to doing good during these difficult times, including:

●      Karen and Jack Carfagna, of Mr. C’s Old Thyme Scents together with Debbie and Jason Wood, of WeBeJammin are helping the current or past RIDDC Self-Employment Business Class participants become vendors at local/outdoor flea markets and farmer’s markets

●      Karen Carfagna is providing technical assistance to individuals currently enrolled in the RIDDC Self-Employment Business Classes

●      Michael Coyne, who has autism, owns and operates Red, White, and Brew and The Budding Violet with his mother, Sheila Coyne. The Budding Violet serves as a retail shop providing space for local entrepreneurs and other business owners who have disabilities to sell their custom made products to the coffee shop visitors.

●      Artist Rachel Rasnick donates a portion of every sale of her notecards to Special Olympics 

●      James Bray, photographer and graphic artist, owns TopShotDesigns, lending his skills to create logos and business cards for participants currently enrolled in the RIDDC Business Class Series.

All of the small business owners listed above have successfully completed the RI Developmental Disabilities Council’s (RIDDC) Self Employment Business Series, which is funded by the RI Dept. of Labor & Training and the Governor’s Workforce Board.

Learn more, here:

http://riddc.org/self-employment-participants/