MCLEAN, Va., Jun 07, 2005 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Summertime can be difficult for both children in foster care and their caregivers. To help the situation, Capital One (NYSE:COF) partnered with the District's Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) to create Foster One Cool Summer, a program that gives children in Washington, D.C., foster care the opportunity to have an enriching experience while discovering the fun and excitement of attending summer camp.

"Capital One has provided us with a wonderful new option for developing foster children skills and talents," said CFSA Director Brenda Donald Walker. "All the potential outcomes from summer camp - leadership, self-esteem, making new friends and having fun - will build valuable skills for children."

Capital One's support will go directly to CFSA to benefit children in foster care. The funds will provide free summer activities for more than 1,300 children in foster care ages three to 17 in the District. Summer camp activities include sports, arts/crafts, music and computer camps, along with local field trips. Caregivers of District children in foster care can apply by calling CFSA at 202-727-5049. (Foster One Cool Summer provides a scholarship program to children in foster care to attend camp at no cost.)

"Foster One Cool Summer is being launched to give children in foster care an opportunity to experience a fun and active summer," said Richard Woods of Capital One. "Capital One wants to make certain that children in foster care have a chance to learn new skills and experiences that will help them become self-confident, happy adults."

To assist CFSA in its goal to license more foster care parents and provide the training they need to support children, Capital One will also be sponsoring training sessions for foster parents.

Click to Care

DC area residents and visitors can also show their support for providing more experiences for children in foster care by visiting www.capitalone.com/fostercare. At this site, individuals can Click to Care. With every unique visitor's click on the Click to Care button, Capital One will give a donation to the National Foster Parent Association (NFPA) (http://www.nfpainc.org/) to support their ongoing training programs.

Karen Jorgenson, Executive Director of NFPA said, "Capital One's program to give children in foster care more enriching experiences will enhance the work that the foster care community does every day to give these children better opportunities."

Unique Foster Care Partnerships

To announce the new initiatives, Capital One partnered with leading foster care advocates to host a panel discussion featuring former foster care youth. The panel discussed providing children in foster care with better access to enrichment and self expression activities, such as summer camp, and the positive impact these activities have on children.

According to a survey by the American Camp Association, both parents and children see the benefits of a positive camp experience. Ninety-six percent of parents agree that "...camp helped (their) child feel better about him or herself" and 92% of campers say that "...camp helped me feel better about myself."

"Children in foster care have experienced a great deal of trauma and instability in their lives. The Foster One Cool Summer program gives them opportunity to have some fun, develop a stronger sense of self-worth and to experience the same type of summer that most children have and all children deserve," noted Shay Bilchik, President and CEO of the Child Welfare League of America.

In the United States today, more than half a million children are living in foster care. Presently, more than 280,000 foster parents are needed to care for these children in need of a loving home. The District currently has more than 2,700 children living outside their birth homes and urgently needs District-based individuals and families to become foster care parents, especially for teens, and short notice emergencies.

Capital One began to partner with four of the nation's leading foster care organizations in May 2003. The National Foster Care Coalition, Casey Family Programs, the Child Welfare League of America and the National Foster Parent Association teamed up with Capital One to conduct a test to identify effective ways to motivate the American public to take action to help children and youth in foster care succeed. Capital One also partners with Bruce Willis' National Foster Care Fund (NFCF), the Children's Action Network (CAN) and the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption (DTFA) on a national scholarship program, Fostering a Future, to benefit youth and children in foster care.

About Child and Family Services Agency:

The D.C. Child and Family Services Agency is the local public entity responsible for identifying and protecting child victims of abuse and neglect. CFSA also helps families overcome difficulties that place their children at risk. When parents cannot keep children safe despite help to do so, CFSA finds new families for children through guardianship or adoption.

About the National Foster Parent Association:

The National Foster Parent Association, a nonprofit, volunteer organization, is the only national organization that supports foster parents and remains a consistently strong voice on behalf of all children. NFPA's mission is to support foster parents in achieving safety, permanence and well-being for the children and youth in their care.

About Capital One:

Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, Capital One Financial Corporation (http://www.capitalone.com), a Fortune 500 company, is one of the largest providers of MasterCard and Visa credit cards in the world. Capital One trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "COF" and is included in the S&P 500 index. Capital One is dedicated to sharing their success with the communities they operate.

Editor's Note: Panel Discussion is being held today, Tuesday, June 7, 2005, at Old Ebbitt Grill, 675 15th St., NW, Washington, D.C., Noon-2 p.m. Featured speakers include: former foster care youth speaking first-hand about their own experiences, Shay Bilchick, President and CEO of CWLA and Brenda Donald Walker, Director of CFSA.

SOURCE: Capital One Financial Corporation

Diana Don Colby
(703)720-2371
Diana.don@capitalone.com