Amscot Financial Contributes More Than $68,000 to Hillsborough Education Foundation

TAMPA, Fla., Jan. 20, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Amscot Financial, a leading provider of convenient, consumer-oriented financial services, is pleased to announce a series of charitable contributions to the Hillsborough Education Foundation in Tampa. All totaled, Amscot's contributions to the Hillsborough Education Foundation in recent months exceed $68,000. Among the donations, Amscot:

• Contributed $25,000 to the Foundation's Building Excellence campaign. The campaign's goal is to increase the Foundation's capacity for growth through the relocation and consolidation of their programs, the Teaching Tools Supply Store and warehouse at their new home in West Tampa.    
• Designated a portion of its contribution toward the Foundation's school enrichment initiative, designed to enhance and enrich classroom experiences for students across Hillsborough County.
• Is serving as the presenting sponsor of the Ida S. Baker Diversity Educator of The Year Award at the Excellence in Education Awards. The award will be presented to one of five finalists by the Foundation on Jan. 27 at the David A. Stratz Performing Arts Center in Tampa.
• Provided a September 2010 contribution of $33,683 to the foundation via the company's state-wide Just-a-Dollar campaign. Every August, Amscot conducts a special campaign, asking each customer if they would care to donate $1 to their local education foundation. The money collected within each of the 15 counties is contributed to the respective education foundation where it was donated.

William Hoffman, Hillsborough Education Foundation president said, "Amscot Financial's significant commitment to the students of Hillsborough County goes beyond their generous financial backing. We see support coming not only from the company's executive team, but from each and every Amscot associate who plays a role in raising funds to support our education mission. On behalf of the Foundation board and the teachers and students we serve, I offer our thanks to every Amscot associate."

Fraser MacKechnie, chief operating officer for Amscot Financial, said: "Our support of public education – through the Hillsborough Education Foundation – is part of our "Kids First" philosophy in terms of our community outreach. Education is of paramount importance to our community and particularly to our Amscot associates, many of whom have children who attend local public schools."

Founded in 1989, Amscot employs a fulltime workforce of more than 2,500 associates who work at the company's 174 retail branches and at the company's corporate headquarters in Tampa. The company currently operates retail locations in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Polk, Hardee, Highlands, Manatee, Sarasota, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake, Volusia and Brevard counties.

Amscot Financial is The Money Superstore™, offering an array of convenience-oriented financial services, including the cashing of personal checks, out-of-state checks and government checks; cash advances; Western Union wire transfers, notary services, pre-paid debit cards, free money orders income tax preparation. Amscot Financial also allows customers to make bill payments to more than 200 different utilities, municipal governments, cable and telephone companies.

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