AACE Ace Cash Express

DALLAS, Jan. 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- ACE Cash Express, Inc. (NASDAQ:AACE) gave a total of $185,000 to the American Red Cross throughout 2005, aiding hurricane victims across the country. Most of the contribution was made possible by customers, and the remainder was supplemented by corporate and employee donations. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060127/DAF012 ) "Hurricanes and the resulting devastation were a major concern for many families and businesses in 2005," said Jay B. Shipowitz, ACE's President and CEO, said, "Thanks to the generosity of our customers and employees, we were able to help hurricane victims at a time when they needed it most." Overall, ACE contributed more than $218,000 to various charities and individuals for hurricane relief in 2005. Each year, ACE seeks to donate one percent of the previous year's net profit to programs that help children, advance education and promote financial literacy. "Thanks to the tremendous community support from individuals and businesses like ACE, the Red Cross is able to continue helping our communities and nation prepare, prevent and respond to disasters and emergencies every day," said Cheryl Sutterfield-Jones, American Red Cross-Dallas Area Chapter Chief Executive Officer. About ACE Cash Express ACE Cash Express, Inc. is a leading retailer of financial services, including check cashing, short-term consumer loans, bill payment and prepaid debit services, and the largest owner, operator and franchisor of check cashing stores in the United States. As of December 31, 2005, ACE had a network of 1,520 stores in 34 states and the District of Columbia, consisting of 1,301 company-owned stores and 219 franchised stores. ACE focuses on serving consumers, many of whom seek alternatives to traditional banking relationships in order to gain convenient and immediate access to financial services. ACE's website is found at http://www.acecashexpress.com/ . About The American Red Cross The American Red Cross is where people mobilize to help their neighbors- across the street, across the country and across the world-in emergencies. Each year, in communities large and small, victims of some 70,000 disasters turn to neighbors familiar and new -- the nearly 1 million volunteers and 35,000 employees of the Red Cross. Through more than 800 locally supported chapters, more than 15 million people gain the skills they need to prepare for and respond to emergencies in their homes, communities and world. Some 4 million people give blood -- the gift of life -- through the Red Cross, making it the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work. The Red Cross website it found at http://www.redcross.org/ . First Call Analyst: FCMN Contact: ptate@acecashexpress.com http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060127/DAF012 http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: ACE Cash Express, Inc. CONTACT: Jay B. Shipowitz, President & CEO, +1-972-550-5030, or , or Eric C. Norrington, Vice President of Communication, +1-972-550-5032, or , both of ACE Cash Express, Inc. Web site: http://www.acecashexpress.com/ http://www.redcross.org/

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