Amscot Financial partners with customers to raise more than $171,000 for local education foundations

TAMPA, Fla., Sept. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Amscot Financial, a leading provider of convenient, consumer-oriented financial services, announces the successful conclusion of its 2012 'Just a Dollar' fund-raising campaign. In August, individual Amscot customers were asked to donate $1 to their local education foundation while conducting their transactions at Amscot. The result: Customer contributions of $161,385 will be combined with Amscot's match of $10,000 for a total of $171,385 to be distributed among local education foundations to support students, teachers and public schools in the counties where Amscot provides financial services.

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This is the campaign's seventh year. The seven-year total, including Amscot's matches, amounts to more than $718,000 in funds raised for local education foundations. Amscot tracks each donation and ensures that the aggregated funds go to the respective local foundations where the contributions were made.

"The funds raised will be used by local education foundations to address the needs of students within their respective communities," said Mary Chance, president of the Consortium of Florida Education Foundations, (CFEF).

"Florida's non-profit education foundations serve as the conduit for private investment in public education. Our foundations, managed by local professionals and directed by local volunteers, understand best how to fill the gaps between what students and teachers need and what public resources can provide," Chance said. "Depending on the needs of our local communities, the funds donated by Amscot customers might support teacher grants or mentoring programs for at-risk students or pay for needed school supplies. Our local foundations support a host of worthy programs that assist public schools."

"On behalf of our member education foundations, I congratulate Amscot Financial and every customer who contributed a dollar," Chance added. "Our member foundations are just so impressed that Amscot and its customers continue to achieve year-over-year increases. When a lot of people pitch in – even just a dollar – we can all accomplish great things."

Ian MacKechnie, founder and CEO of Amscot, said: "We believe in this important campaign because it demonstrates how vital public education is to the lives of our customers and our associates. We very much appreciate the generosity of our customers and the hard work of Amscot associates who instrumental in making this campaign happen. We look forward to the continued success of this program and to the day when we can say we broke the $1 million mark."

Founded in 1989, Amscot Financial employs more than 2,000 associates who work at more than 200 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, Brevard, Miami-Dade and Marion counties.

About Amscot Financial

Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., Amscot Financial is a leading provider convenient, consumer-oriented financial services, including check cashing, bill payment, money transfers, cash advances 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 enables owners to make purchases from any location that accepts MasterCard™. Amscot Financial currently operates more than 200 retail financial service centers throughout Florida and employs more than 2,000 employees. . 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 website at www.amscot.com.

SOURCE Amscot Financial