CDS Provides Marine Toys for Tots Foundation with Improved Funds Availability and Enhanced Donor Service.

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Communications Data Services, Inc. (CDS), a subsidiary of The Hearst Corporation and leading provider of outsourced fulfillment business process solutions, today announced that the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation has significantly improved funds availability, increased productivity and enhanced donor service by outsourcing its lockbox processing to the CDS Data Capture Services group.

CDS provides the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation with a complete outsourced solution, including receivables capture, management, archival and delivery services to improve the quality, efficiency and speed of donation processing and enhance access to payment data - all of which have helped to boost donor service.

As faithful stewards of donations earmarked to help needy children, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation puts great emphasis on achieving its prompt receipting goals. That's why it was imperative that the foundation work with an outsourced lockbox provider that specialized in the image-based processing of so-called payment exceptions, which comprise all of its work; the foundation's donations do not include remittance stubs.

The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation has experienced firsthand the benefits of CDS Data Capture Services and its complete outsourced solution. Average funds availability for local Toys for Tots units has improved from 19 days (from the time checks are sent to the lockbox) to eight days. Through ongoing process assessments, CDS and the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation expect to trim the funds availability for local units to five days. The foundation now processes $15 to $20 million through CDS annually.

"Lockbox processing is the financial lifeblood of our organization," said Major Brian A. Murray, USMC (Retired), of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. "This is a very demanding job, and we need an effective and efficient partner to hold down expenses and maximize funds availability; otherwise, we'd have less money to buy and distribute toys for the children. The CDS Data Capture Services solution resulted in a streamlined processing workflow, higher productivity, and better funds availability - all of which improves donor service."

Additionally, working with CDS has helped the foundation accelerate the reaction time for special requests and errors, as well as reduce errors and improve error tracking. With daily transmissions of donor information, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation also is able to thank its donors in a timely manner - demonstrating the foundation's gratitude.

"Our partnership with the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is another example of CDS helping customers better manage and execute critical business processes by reducing costs, increasing productivity, and improving customer service effectiveness," said Marc Haskelson, vice president, general manager, of CDS Business Solutions. "This type of outsourced data capture solution is applicable not only to other non-profit charities - a segment in which CDS is a leader - but also to corporate enterprise customers as well."

The mission of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, an IRS recognized 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit charity, is to collect new, unwrapped toys during October, November and December each year and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to needy children. Throughout the year, local Toys for Tots Campaign Coordinators conduct an array of activities to increase interest in Toys for Tots and generate toy and monetary donations.

"The requirements for the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation were to streamline its donation processing to improve funds availability, reduce processing errors, ensure that local Toys for Tots units were credited properly, and feed donor information to its direct mail and database management providers. That's CDS," said Craig Bjork, general manager, operations, CDS.

CDS and the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation will detail the success of their partnership during a presentation on July 26 at The Association for Work Process Improvement 2005 Annual Forum & Expo at the Baltimore Convention Center. CDS is a TAWPI member.

About Communications Data Services, Inc.

In the business of providing outsourced services since 1972, CDS has earned a reputation for service and value in the industry. Backed by the stability and experience of the Hearst Corporation, CDS provides a complete outsourced solution for clients to manage and execute all the critical business processes that impact their customers - from order and information capture, and data imaging and management, to letter-shop, printing, mailing and product fulfillment.

CDS counts among its customers an elite group of the world's leading magazine publishers, direct marketing firms, financial institutions and corporate billers. CDS brings the right mix of people, processes, technology and tools to every job we do, making CDS a trusted partner for complex, mission-critical applications. CDS is headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, with facilities in Arizona, New York, Pennsylvania, Canada and England. Learn more at www.cdsfulfillment.com or call (866)-897-7987.

About the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation

Toys for Tots, the U.S. Marine Corps' premier community action program and one of the nation's flagship Christmas charitable causes, is dedicated to "delivering a message of hope and bringing the joy of Christmas" to America's needy youngsters.