Amscot Financial contributes mini-grants to 10 non-profit service organizations

TAMPA, Fla., June 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Amscot Financial, a leading provider of convenient, consumer-oriented financial services, recently made mini-grants of $100 to $5,000 to 10 non-profit service organizations in its 16-county service area. The grants went to:

• Columbus Residential Juvenile Facility, Brandon. The Columbus Juvenile Residential Facility is a 50-bed facility for young men aged 12 to 18 who are incarcerated. The facility is operated under a partnership between Hillsborough County Public Schools and the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. The facility is looking to purchase art supplies to provide a creative outlet and alternative program for the children under its supervision. For more information, please visit: http://youthservices.mysdhc.org.
• Dream Center of Tampa, Tampa. The mission of the Dream Center of Tampa is to awaken the possibilities of youth and families in East Tampa through relationships and high-impact programs.  The group's vision is "to see powerful, positive lives rising up to inspire a community." For more information, please visit http://dctampa.org.  
• Faith Cafe, Tampa. The primary goal at the Faith Cafe is to feed the hungry. Monday through Saturday, the organization offers guests a comfortable, safe environment to enjoy a meal. Volunteers are trained to give guests respect and love. One way Faith Cafe shows respect is to call each guest "Sir" or "Madame," respectively. In addition, in the spirit of service, Faith Cafe serves guests plates of food and a drink of their choice, as if they are in a restaurant. Another goal of this ministry is to distribute lightly used clothing, blankets, coats, toiletries and other essential items. No item goes to waste. No donation is too small. Every little bit helps. For more information, please visit: http://faithcafetampa.com.
• Suncoast Community Health Center, Dover. Suncoast Community Health Centers, Inc. is a not-for-profit, community-owned and -operated corporation serving southern and eastern Hillsborough County. The organization is committed to improving the lives of medically underserved persons and is planning a back-to-school health event for schoolchildren in southern and eastern Hillsborough County. For more information, please visit http://suncoast-chc.org.
• Beverly Robinson Campbell Foundation, Orlando. The Foundation is sponsoring a college tour for the fall of 2012 for high-school juniors and seniors. The tour's purpose is to give at-risk, high-achieving students exposure to colleges and universities that they otherwise would have no opportunity to explore.
• Grace Landing, Kissimmee. Grace Landing provides a home for boys who age out of foster care or who are homeless. Youth in the program are required to attend school and work at a job. The organization's new Paddle to Independence program partners 16- and 17-year-old boys in foster care with responsible adult mentors who can help them with their educational and career goals. For more information, please visit http://gracelanding.com.  
• Be The Match, St. Petersburg. The 'Be The Match' program supports the National Marrow Donor Program^® (NMDP), a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating an opportunity for all patients to receive the bone marrow or umbilical cord blood transplant they need, when they need it. The first step to becoming a bone marrow donor is to join the Be The Match Registry^®. Doctors search the Be The Match Registry to find donors who match their patients. For more information, please visit www.nmdp.org.
• Manifestations Worldwide, Tampa. The Center for Manifestation is a faith-based organization that is seeking to provide school uniforms for 30 boys and girls for the upcoming school year. For more information, please visit www.centerformanifestation.com.  
• Habitat for Humanity of Hillsborough, Tampa. Habitat for Humanity of Hillsborough County Florida, Inc. became an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity in 1987. Since then, the organization has built more than 140 homes in Hillsborough County. Habitat homebuyers must donate 300 "sweat equity" hours, be able to assist with closing costs and make monthly mortgage payments. Habitat homes are sold to homeowners at no profit with a no-interest mortgage. For more information, please visit www.habitathillsborough.com.
• 100 Black Men of Orlando, Inc., Orlando. The Orlando chapter of 100 Black Men, Inc. annually holds a fundraising event to provide college scholarships to outstanding graduates of Orlando's Jones High School.  Since 2003, the Orlando chapter has raised more than $405,000 in college scholarships.

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About Amscot Financial

Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., Amscot Financial is a leading provider of income tax preparation and electronic filing services, refund anticipation loans, prepaid debit cards, check cashing services, non-bank cash advance services, bill payment services, money transfer services and money orders through its wholly owned division, Amscot International Money Order Company.  Amscot also offers the Amscot Card, a pre-paid debit card that allows owners to make purchases from any location that accepts MasterCard™. Amscot Financial currently operates 176 tax preparation offices and 176 retail financial service centers throughout Florida and employs more than 2,000 people. Amscot Financial has been recognized by the Tampa Bay Business Journal as one of Tampa Bay's Best Places to Work for five years. For additional information, please visit the company's Web site at www.amscot.com.

SOURCE Amscot Financial