Amscot Financial Contributes Mini-Grants to 14 Non-Profit Service Organizations

TAMPA, Fla.,  July 6, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Amscot Financial, a leading provider of convenient, consumer-oriented financial services, has made mini-grants of $100 to $1,000 to 14 non-profit service organizations in its 15-county service area. The grants went to:

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• Hope Helps, Inc., Oviedo. This group's mission is to prevent and reduce homelessness in Central Florida by helping individuals and families to become self-sufficient through housing, outreach, prevention, and education. On Aug. 6, Hope Helps will conduct a "Back-to-School Bash" and provide economically disadvantaged youth with school supplies, backpacks, a "first day" outfit and a back-to-school physical. For more information, please visit www.hopehelps.org.

• The Armed Forces Military Museum, Largo. The museum encourages patriotism and military history awareness among local children through its Duffle Bag Awareness Program. The duffle bags are each filled with a military item and a description of its significance. Duffle Bags are provided to teachers free of charge to enhance curriculum. For more information, please visit: www.armedforcesmuseum.org.

• LTB 11 Foundation, Inc., Tampa. The Leadership Tampa Bay 2011 class is organizing a concert event on July 14, 2011 to benefit Joshua House and A Kids Place, which both help abused and neglected children. For more information, please visit: www.ltb11.org.

• Florida Institute for Community Studies, Tampa. This organization is helping promote a program proposed and organized by teen volunteers. The bracelets say: "I helped make Tampa Bay nicer." The bracelets are to be handed out by teen leaders when they see adults in the community doing something nice for others. For more information, please visit: http://www.ficsinc.org.

• Marrow Nation, Inc. Palm Harbor. The mission of this organization is to recruit more potential donors for the national Be The Match Registry®.  Due to a lack of minority marrow donors, this group focuses its recruiting efforts in minority communities and organizations. For more information, please visit: http://www.marrownation.org.

• New Directions Community Outreach, Altamonte Springs. NDCO was founded in 2004 by Debra Thomas as a feeding program for homeless people in Seminole County, Florida. Each year, the rate of families and children living in poverty rapidly increases. As a result, NDCO expanded. In order to help individuals in need, NDCO offers activities and tools as well as began providing additional resources and programs to those in need. For more information, please visit: www.ndcoseminole.org.

• TAMCO Foundation, Tampa. TAMCO Foundation is a non-profit, non-partisan charity which provides direct support to military veterans from Florida who have been severely wounded and disabled while serving our country. The overarching aim is to embrace these American heroes and their families throughout their recovery and their return home as they rebuild their lives and endure associated challenges from their disabilities. For more information, please visit http://www.tamcofoundation.org.

• Iglesia de Dios Pentecostal M.I., Winter Garden. This church plans a "Back to School" event on Aug. 20 and hopes to provide up to 500 backpacks and school supplies to students in west Orange County.

• Greater Mt. Carmel Development Corp., Tampa. This Hillsborough County organization provides a summer camp program for at-risk youth in Tampa whose parents can't afford traditional summer camp fees.

• Junior League of St. Petersburg, St. Petersburg. On Aug. 6, 2011, the Junior League will hold its annual "Back to School Care Fair," offering free school supplies, physicals, immunizations, vision screenings and backpacks. The Junior League has been offering this service since 1997. On average, more than 2,500 children and 1,500 legal guardians attend the annual event. For more information, please visit www.jlstpete.org.

• Willa Carson Health Resource Center, Clearwater. This non-profit is the only provider of free healthcare services to the uninsured and medically needy in Pinellas County. The center currently has 9,000 active clients who seek treatment every year. For more information, please visit www.carsonhrc.org.

• Mount Olive Seventh-Day Adventist Church, Orlando. The church's Youth Empowered to Service (YES) initiative encourages young people to begin a life of service in their communities. Intergenerational service opportunities are encourage through partnerships with other community service organizations.

• Operation Unwrap a Smile, Land O Lakes, This organization is comprised of several Pasco County community groups who partner with philanthropic organizations to help troubled, abandoned, abused and otherwise displaced children. The group serves about 385 children a year.

• Suncoast Community Health Center, Dover. This not-for-profit, community owned and operated corporation serves southern and eastern Hillsborough County and is committed to improving the lives of medically underserved persons. It plans a back-to-school event for economically disadvantaged children in August. For more information, please visit: http://www.suncoast-chc.org.

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, 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 174 tax preparation offices and 174 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 four consecutive years. For additional information, please visit the company's Web site at www.amscot.com.

SOURCE Amscot Financial