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Boston, Hartford, and San Francisco Lead Race to Raise the Most Money For U.S. Fund For UNICEF

Boston, Hartford, and San Francisco Lead Race to Raise the Most Money For U.S. Fund For UNICEF

Published 11-16-01

Submitted by Coinstar, Inc.

The 2001 City-to-City Challenge is in full swing as cities across America compete to see who can raise the most money for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF's "Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF" campaign.

With two weeks remaining, Boston is leading the race to become the Most Generous City in America for a second straight year as the coin-based fundraising effort reaches the $375,000 mark. Boston is followed by Hartford, Connecticut and San Francisco, who are running strong in the second and third spot. The City-to-City Challenge runs through November 30.

The challenge is sponsored by Coinstar, which serves as an official donation site for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF's "Treat-or-Treat for UNICEF" campaign. Because the number of Coinstar machines varies from city to city, Coinstar has leveled the playing field. It will determine the winning city based on the amount of donated coins collected per machine. Boston, which has 222 machines, has an average per machine donation of $165. Hartford has an average per machine donation of $159 while San Francisco has raised $132 per machine. New York and Minneapolis round out the top five.

"Cities across America are pouring out their hearts and pockets to help the children of Afghanistan during this time of crisis," said Dave Cole, chief executive officer of Coinstar. "Americans have seen the power in change and are donating to help children who so desperately need it."

With the giving season just getting underway, Coinstar and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF invite citizens to help their city become the Most Generous City in America by taking their spare change to a Coinstar machine and donating it to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. People who donate through Coinstar will immediately receive a tax-deductible receipt for 100 percent of their donation.

The company is also encouraging cities to beat their own record from last year. Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Honolulu, and Tampa are five cities that have already surpassed their 2000 fundraising totals.

Coinstar and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF will announce the winning city in early December. That city will receive a special citizen's award presented to the local mayor and the Coinstar supermarket partners that supported the fundraising effort.

Coinstar kicked off this year's City-to-City Challenge on October 5, marking its fifth consecutive year as a fundraising partner on behalf of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF's annual Trick-or-Treat campaign. Coinstar machines make it easy to give to nonprofit organizations such as the U.S. Fund for UNICEF by accepting direct coin donations through nearly all of the machines that comprise its nationwide network of more than 9,200 supermarket-based machines. In five years, Coinstar has helped to collect more than $2 million on behalf of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

The U.S. Fund for UNICEF works for the survival, protection and development of children worldwide through education, advocacy and fundraising. Created in 1947, it is the oldest of 37 national committees around the world that support UNICEF's mission. This year, more than five million "Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF" cartons were distributed to children in the United States. Anyone who has not turned in their "Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF" carton can still process the money through Coinstar machines. For more information on UNICEF, call (800) 252-KIDS or visit the U.S. Fund for UNICEF homepage at www.unicefusa.org.

Funds collected through Coinstar will help support UNICEF's efforts to provide medicine, vaccines, clean water and sanitation, and nutritious foods to children in Afghanistan.

About Coinstar

Coinstar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSTR) uses technology to deliver time and money saving services to consumers in their local supermarkets. Coinstar's network of more than 9,200 machines is currently available to 130 million consumers in 46 states and the District of Columbia, as well as Canada and the United Kingdom. Consumers can visit www.findcoinstar.com or call 1-800-928-CASH to find the nearest Coinstar(R) machine.

NOTE: Visuals are available upon request. Please call Cristina Sorondo at 305/533.1111

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Coinstar, Inc.

Coinstar, Inc.

Coinstar, Inc. is the leader in automated retail, providing good and services through kiosks. Redbox and Coinstar are our two largest lines of business.

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