ATLANTA, July 30, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Spirit of America remains strong as evidenced by sales of checks by the same name from John H. Harland Company (NYSE:JH), sales that since 2001 have resulted in donations of more than $500,000 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.
Harland introduced the Spirit of America check line in 2001 in the wake of September 11, and it quickly became one of the company's most popular designs. Sales from the Spirit of America line, which includes checks and related products such as leather covers and personalized address stamps, have remained strong ever since, enabling total contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund to top $500,000 in the second quarter of 2004.
The Disaster Relief Fund enables the Red Cross to respond immediately to 70,000 disasters across the country each year, providing shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to those in need.
"The American Red Cross epitomizes the spirit of giving, which is itself the spirit of America," said Timothy C. Tuff, chairman and chief executive officer of Harland. "While we are proud to have been able to contribute $500,000 to the Disaster Relief Fund to date, we hope that as consumers continue to demonstrate their spirit of America we will be able to contribute even more."
"We truly appreciate the continued support that our long-standing supporter, John H. Harland Company, has provided to our humanitarian mission since September 2001," said J. Logan Seitz, senior vice president, growth and integrated development of the American Red Cross. "Harland's commitment to the Disaster Relief Fund enables us to respond immediately to the needs of disaster victims. This gift means a great deal to our organization, but even more to those we serve."
Individuals wishing to demonstrate the spirit of America, and contribute to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund at the same time, are encouraged to contact their financial institution to purchase Spirit of America checks and related products.
About the American Red Cross
Governed by volunteers and supported by community donations, the American Red Cross is a nationwide network of nearly 900 field units dedicated to saving lives and helping people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Led by one million volunteers and 36,000 employees, the Red Cross annually mobilizes relief to families affected by more than 70,000 disasters, trains almost 12 million people in lifesaving skills and keeps U.S. military families connected worldwide. The Red Cross is the largest supplier of blood and blood products to more than 3,000 hospitals across the nation and also assists victims of international disasters and conflicts at locations worldwide. Marsha J. Evans is the President and CEO of the American Red Cross.
About Harland
Atlanta-based John H. Harland Company (NYSE:JH) (http://www.harland.net) is a leading provider of software and printed products to the financial and educational markets. Harland Financial Solutions, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary (http://www.harlandfinancialsolutions.com), supplies software and services, including customer relationship management, deposit and loan origination, core systems and mortgage services to thousands of financial institutions of all sizes. Harland's printed products offerings include checks, direct marketing and financial forms. Scantron Corporation (http://www.scantron.com), a wholly owned subsidiary, is a leading provider of both paper and electronic-based services and systems for the collection, management and interpretation of data to the financial, commercial and educational markets.
This press release contains statements, which may constitute "forward-looking statements." These statements include statements regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of John H. Harland Company and members of its respective management, as well as the assumptions on which such statements are based. Prospective investors are cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties and that actual results may differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. Reference is made to the Risk Factors and Cautionary Statements in Harland's Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filed under the Securities Exchange Act.