FALLS CHURCH, Va., Dec. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Capital One (NYSE: COF) associates helped fulfill the holiday wishes of more than 2,000 individuals by volunteering 4,600 hours at local non-profits and making donations of more than 20,000 pounds of food and 5,500 gifts of toys, clothing, bikes, and books. Associate donations reached at-risk children and families in the company's operating cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas; Tampa, Florida; Falls Church, Fredericksburg and Richmond, Virginia, and Federal Way, Washington.

Additionally, Capital One renewed its pledge to feed approximately 2,000 kids an evening meal throughout the coming year by committing $560,000 for the operation of 62 Kids Cafes in its operating cities. Kids Cafe, in conjunction with the Second Harvest network of food banks, is an afterschool initiative offering at-risk youth a hot meal and learning activities in a safe, chaperoned environment. The Capital One-sponsored Kids Cafes are located in: Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas; Fredericksburg, Richmond and Falls Church, Virginia; Tampa, Florida and Boise, Idaho. Other corporate gifts were made to the Salvation Army in Richmond, Virginia and to the Central Virginia Food Bank.

"I'm proud of the generosity demonstrated by our associates, giving their time along with special gifts to make the holidays brighter for less fortunate families," said Capital One President and Chief Operating Officer Nigel Morris. "All of our associates are committed to sharing our success at the holidays and throughout the entire year by supporting programs that create opportunities for at-risk youth and strengthen our neighborhoods."

Through the holiday giving campaign, Capital One associates volunteered their time and donated gifts to a variety of local charitable partners. Highlights include:

    *     Virginia associates "adopted angels" by purchasing clothes and toys
          for more than 1,100 children enrolled in The Salvation Army's Angel
          Tree program.
    *     Several associate teams from Fredericksburg competed in a contest to
          raise money for their favorite local charities by increasing their
          sales calls and percentages. Overall, a grand total of $20,000 was
          distributed among the charities chosen by participating teams.
    *     More than 900 Richmond volunteers took four hours out of their work
          day to help families pick up their gifts at The Salvation Army's
          Angel Tree distribution center.
    *     Northern Virginia volunteers hosted holiday parties for nine
          Alexandria Network Pre-School classes where they delivered almost
          150 coats, books and goodie bags donated by associates.  Bilingual
          associates also volunteered as Santa-so that the children could hear
          holiday stories read in their native language.
    *     Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas associates fulfilled holiday wishes of
          families from Capital One's local Adopt-A-School partners, Austin
          Elementary School and D. McRae Elementary School.
    *     Tampa, Florida associates spread holiday cheer with gifts and
          volunteer time to several organizations including The Spring (a
          domestic abuse shelter), United Cerebral Palsy, Tampa Aids Network,
          Salvation Army and the Children's Home Society of Florida.
    *     The newly opened Federal Way, Washington site sponsored both food
          and stuffed animal drives and collected gifts for elderly adults and
          children.

"I feel fortunate to work for a company that truly cares for its community and provides me with opportunities to volunteer and give back," said Mac Purrington, co-chair of Capital One's Richmond Volunteer Organization Board. "Efforts like our holiday outreach program make Capital One the great place to work that it is."

Ranked by Fortune magazine as the 60th best place to work in the country, Capital One credits its community outreach and involvement for propelling it as a leading employer. Other programs that differentiate the company are its associate selection process; ongoing training and development courses; outstanding benefits, including three weeks vacation; and performance-based compensation.

Headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, Capital One Financial Corporation (www.CapitalOne.com) is a holding company whose principal subsidiaries, Capital One Bank and Capital One, F.S.B., offer consumer lending. Capital One's subsidiaries collectively had 20.8 million customers and $18.5 billion in managed loans outstanding as of September 30, 1999, and are among the largest providers of MasterCard and Visa credit cards in the world. Capital One trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "COF" and is included in the S&P 500 Index.

SOURCE Capital One Financial Corporation

CONTACT: Susan Woodford, 804-934-5442 or Diana Don, 703-289-6815, both of Capital One/