Amscot Financial Contributes Mini-Grants to 20 Non-Profit Service Organizations

TAMPA, Fla., July 26 /PRNewswire/ -- Amscot Financial, a leading provider of convenient, consumer-oriented financial services, has made mini-grants of $100 to $500 to 20 non-profit service organizations in its 15-county service area. The grants went to:

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• Community Action Stops Abuse, St. Petersburg. The CASA Foundation helps battered and abused women – as well as their children – in the Tampa Bay region.  CASA is a nationally and internationally recognized, full-service agency with innovative programs, extensive community outreach, and 48 full-time and 24 part-time staff advocates.

• Operation PAR, Pinellas Park. Operation PAR provides prevention, intervention and treatment services for youth at risk of, or currently, using alcohol and/or drugs. Operation PAR has a variety of programs, including school programs for adolescents and residential programs for teens.  

• Suncoast Center, Inc., St. Petersburg. Suncoast Center's mission is to strengthen, protect, and restore lives for a healthy community. Suncoast Center, Inc.'s history extends back to 1944 when the Child Guidance Clinic was formed. From that beginning, the organization has evolved into today's outpatient community social support services center, serving children and adults of all ages across multiple levels of programming.

• High Point Neighborhood Family Center, Clearwater. This non-profit service organization operates a summer camp for local children at no cost to their families. The organization offers free lunches to the children every day.

• Pregnancy Care Center, Tampa. The Pregnancy Care Center of Tampa was begun in 1988 as an outreach ministry. It is a non-profit, interdenominational Christian organization that offers services to women facing unexpected, unintended pregnancies. The center offers a program titled "Earn While You Learn," designed to empower low-income women with skills and supplies.

• Magnolia Manor Park, Inc., Wauchula. This non-profit organization was founded in 2006 for the purpose of restoring a community park in Hardee County so that residents and their children could have a safe place to play and socialize. The organization is seeking to acquire a new playground facility as well as improve their ballfields.

• Victory Prep Christian Academy, Orlando. This K-12 school works with students who struggle in public school and helps them to succeed academically and socially. Most of the school's students come from low-income households and have emotional or learning disabilities.  

• Bright Beginnings, Tampa. Formerly known as the Maternal Child Health Coalition, Bright Beginnings began providing services within the maternal child health system of care in 1989. Since 1998, Bright Beginnings has expanded its reach concentrating on services that promote health, well-being and function for children prenatal through early childhood. Among its programs is a class that teaches FCAT skills and financial literacy to 3rd and 5th graders.

• Hiawassee Elementary School, Orlando. The elementary school in west Orange County offers a program designed to combat childhood obesity.  

• Pinellas Village, Largo. Pinellas Village is an apartment community exclusively for single parents. Pinellas Village provides single-parent families the opportunity to achieve economic and emotional self-sufficiency through on-site and community-based resources and safe, affordable housing.  

• Manatee County YMCA. This Bradenton-based organization is holding a summer camp with activities focused on "life-skills" training, including financial literacy.

• Crescent of Hernando, Brooksville. The non-profit Crescent Community Center in Brooksville provides healthcare to indigent and uninsured adults aged 18 to 64.      

• Thanks Troops, Inc., Clearwater.  This non-profit group raises funds for Tee It Up for the Troops, Inc., a 501(c)3 charitable organization led by a corps of dedicated veterans and volunteers.  The mission is to honor, respect and remember the service of those that have served to protect our country. 

• Junior Achievement of Pinellas County. Pinellas Park. Junior Achievement is a volunteer driven, non-profit organization. Annually, more than 2,000 business professionals, parents, retirees and college students will enter Pinellas County schools to teach Junior Achievement programs. These volunteers use their personal experiences to make the Junior Achievement lessons practical and realistic. Providing children with positive adult role models, who illustrate ways to build self-confidence, develop skills and find avenues of success in our free enterprise system, is a hallmark of Junior Achievement.  

• Rose Marie Bryon Children's Center, Daytona Beach. This non-profit organization is the oldest after-school program in the Daytona Beach area. Founded in 1948, it offers programs for children aged five to 18. Programs include: tutoring, FCAT skills training, computer skills training, Boy and Girl Scouts and cooking lessons.  

• Latino Leadership, Orlando. On Aug. 13, the non-profit Latino Leadership organization will hold the second annual Southeast Regional Latino Family Conference at the University of Central Florida. Together with scholars, community, and business leaders, the organization will tackle the important issues affecting Latino families.

• Hillsborough County Head Start, Tampa. Hillsborough County Head Start serves children aged birth to five in family day-care centers. The organization contracts with Hillsborough County Schools, YMCA, Lutheran Services, Metropolitan Ministries and many other organizations to provide services to low-income, eligible children and prepare them to enter kindergarten.

• Macfarlane Park Association, Tampa. West Tampa Bay's largest neighborhood association, Macfarlane Park Association each year works with the Tampa Bay Police Department to combat crime. This year's National Night Out program is Aug. 3, 2010 and will be organized by the Macfarlane Park Association.

• Down Syndrome Association of Central Florida, Orlando. The DSACF is the leading voice for individuals with Down Syndrome in Central Florida. The organization offers hope, acceptance and encouragement through advocacy and education.  

• Florida Conference of Black State Legislators, Tallahassee. This organization raises funds annually to sponsor scholarships to at-risk high-school students.

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