Amscot Financial Contributes Mini-Grants to 17 Non-Profit Service Organizations

TAMPA, Fla., April 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Amscot Financial, a leading provider of convenient, consumer-oriented financial services, has made mini-grants of $100 to $500 to 17 non-profit service organizations in its 15-county service area. The grants went to:

• Neptune Elementary School, St. Cloud. The school recently purchased bicycle helmets for students from both St. Cloud and Kissimmee for a community safety event to be held on May 22.

• St. Joseph's Food Pantry, Bradenton. This community food pantry feeds more than 17,000 families a year, distributing more than 34,000 bags of food. Each monthly food bag contains canned vegetables, canned soups, dry soup mix, rice, pasta, tomato sauce and sweets. When possible, the organization offers fresh fruit, vegetables and fruit juices.

• Family Services of Metro Orlando. This community care provider offers services to foster children, seeking to keep families intact; providing emergency services to children in crisis and offering transitional services to foster youth about to turn 18.

• American Lung Association, Orlando. The American Lung Association offers a six-week educational program for elementary school students on the topic of asthma. The Open Airways for Schools program teaches asthma management techniques to children in the third to fifth grades. The program has been offered to more than 46,000 grade-schoolers since 1996.

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Suncoast, Sebring. The vision of Big Brothers Big Sisters is to provide a successful mentoring relationship to every child who wants one. The organization's goal is to contribute to brighter futures, better schools and stronger communities.

• Liberty Manor for Veterans, Tampa. The mission of Liberty Manor is to provide affordable, transitional, supported housing to the veteran population of Hillsborough County by implementing objectives designed to contribute to self-sufficiency.  The organization accomplishes this by providing veterans with some basic, fundamental needs necessary to meet the objective of reintegrating veterans into meaningful employment opportunities.

• National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., Tampa. The group organizes a mentoring program annually for 30 young women. It also awards outstanding students college scholarships.

• Lealman and Asian Family Neighborhood Center, St. Petersburg. This neighborhood community center in northwest St. Petersburg offers before- and after-school care for children; English classes for speakers of other languages; a neighborhood food pantry and a computer lab.  

• The Gathering of Women, Inc., St. Petersburg.  A not-for-profit organization, the group's primary objective is to develop and support projects that improve the quality of life in the community as well as provide financial support for minority students.

• Pi Iota Education Foundation, Inc., Tampa. Founded by members of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity, this organization primarily works to fund college scholarships for students in the Tampa area.

• Melrose Elementary School "Journeys in Journalism," program, St. Petersburg. The program offers hands-on, experiential learning for students, who publish three newspapers in a school year. Students make real-world connections through field trips. The trips are designed to familiarize students with their community. The result is a story, photograph or video that gives students a better understanding of how journalism works.  

• Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, St. Petersburg. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International is the worldwide leader in funding research to cure type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease that strikes children and adults suddenly and lasts a lifetime.

• Moses House Inc., Tampa. The Moses House, Inc. is a community-based, not-for-profit organization that uses art-based learning and creative expression, social and cultural activism, social justice education, and participatory action research to enrich the lives of children and youth living in situations of risk in the Sulphur Springs neighborhood of Tampa, Florida. The mission of the Moses House is to create and provide community-based cultural and educational programs and activities for children and youth from low-income families; to support and conduct non-partisan research, education, and informational activities to increase public awareness of the poor, distressed, and underprivileged; to defend human rights and civil rights secured by law; to strive for the elimination of prejudice and discrimination; to advance social justice education; and to combat community deterioration, juvenile delinquency, and the criminalization of children and youth.  

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tampa Bay, Tampa. The mentoring services of these organizations comprise two main programs: A traditional community-based mentoring program and a "Bigs in Schools," mentoring program.  

• Community Involvement Targeting Youth (CITY), Orlando. In partnership with the City of Orlando, CITY's mission is to develop children into positive youth through sports, performing arts, tutoring, and mentoring; fostering leadership, discipline and competitive skills.

• Project NOW Intergenerational Outreach, Tampa. This organization offers after-school homework assistance, mentoring, home economics classes, chess and checkers clubs.

• Family Support & Resource Center, Tampa. The Family Support & Resource Centers are regionally located throughout Hillsborough County (Town 'N Country, Brandon, North Tampa and Ruskin) to meet the needs of families from all walks of life. All programs and services are at no cost to any family or individual. The philosophy of family support is part of a national movement which seeks to strengthen and empower families and communities so they can foster the best possible development of children, youth and adults. Broad community partnerships are at the heart of service and program delivery with an emphasis on child development, self sufficiency, and health and safety.

(Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060316/FLAMSCOTLOGO )

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.amscotfinancial.com.

SOURCE Amscot Financial

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