Tampa, FL., June 15, 2004/PR Newswire/ - Amscot Financial, a Florida-based tax and retail financial services company, is proud to announce the Grand Opening of its new Tampa location at 2922 N. Himes Avenue with a fun-filled afternoon of wonder, education and excitement on Saturday, June 19, 2004 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Amscot, along with the Lowry Park Zoo and Child Protection Education of America will provide an enjoyable experience for all ages. Representatives will be on hand to answer questions and provide information. Free refreshments will be served, courtesy of Hungry Howie's Pizza and 95.7 "The Beat", will be doing a live remote broadcast and giving away prizes.

Lowry Park Zoo, most recently ranked the "No. 1 Family Friendly Zoo in the United States" by Child magazine is committed to excellence in education, conservation and research, always listening to the needs and wants of their guests. Their mission is to connect people with the Living Earth. Zoo representatives will bring a few of the many "wild creatures" who live at Lowry Park Zoo and Grand Opening guests will be able to interact with the animals. Amscot Financial will be presenting a check for $1,000 to Lowry Park Zoo to help fund a program that brings underprivileged children on daytrips to the zoo.

Child Protection Education of America, Inc. (CPEA), a national nonprofit organization for missing children based in Tampa, FL, will also be available on-site to provide fingerprinting for children through their "ID ME NOW" program which produces state-of-the-art digital fingerprints on a specially-designed card which parents can keep with a black and white photo of the child, a dental chart and instructions on how to do a simple DNA collection. Safety brochures are provided with the fingerprint card, as well as an envelope containing further information to complete their child safety kit. This information would assist parents and law enforcement officers involved with a missing child case. An interactive child safety CD-ROM can also be purchased for $5.00 at the event.

Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., Amscot Financial is a leading provider of income tax preparation and electronic filing services, refund anticipation loans, check cashing services, cash advance services, money transfer services, and money orders through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Amscot International Money Order Company. Amscot Financial currently operates more than 60 tax preparation offices and 60 retail financial service centers throughout Florida, employing more than 1,500 people, and transacting in excess of $2.5 billion annually. For additional information, please visit the company's website at www.amscotfinancial.com.