NEW: Excite Credit Union and Sammy Rabbit Collaborate to Bring Dream Big Financial Education Resources to Kids, Families, Schools
We are pleased to share we have expanded are collaboration with Excite Credit Union. Excite is now offering its members, community partners and web visitors a wealth of FREE digital, downloadable activities via their new Learn with Sammy Dream Big Financial Education Resource Hub!
AND, visitors to the web page may also email Excite Credit Union for special “print” versions of Sammy Story and Activity books – while supplies last!
ENDING FINANCIAL ILLITERACY
Thanks to Sammyriffic collaboration partners like Excite Credit Union, we are making daily efforts to end youth and family financial illiteracy one child, one family, one resource and one financial education experience at a time! Woohoo!
The following pictures, press and text tell the story. They demonstrate Excite Credit Union’s exemplary efforts to make financial literacy accessible and available to any and every child, parent, school or community leader who aims to put children on the path to greater financial freedom, security and stability!
Excerpt from Financial Advisor Magazine
John Hogan, Vice President of Community Relations at Excite Credit Union, has worked to give out more than a thousand Sammy Rabbit books in Santa Clara County, CA and North Carolina, where the credit union is based.
“The goal is to get kids and families saving, building assets, financial security and independence,” Hogan said.
“We distributed over 1,700 Sammy Rabbit books to grades 1, 2 and 3 throughout Santa Clara County. One of our staff members, Aleta Smith, who recently joined our team as a Community Relations Specialist, was able to personally read the books in classrooms. Aleta grew up in foster care and managed to complete college with little debt, using her own financial literacy skills,” according to Hogan who said the credit union has already gotten requests for Sammy books in Spanish and Vietnamese.
“We love the fun and engaging nature that the Sammy Rabbit books bring to the program,” said Hogan, who works with a number of community programs to launch savings programs to help lower-income families.
Background
The collaboration is built around Excite Credit Union’s new and innovative Step Up Savings program. The purpose of the program is to give everyone the chance to build a financially stronger future, so together we can build a stronger community.
The program was launched November 1, 2019. It is offered to families connected to non-profits and low income schools in two of Excite’s market areas: Silicon Valley and North Carolina.
Excite deposits the first $50 to open a child’s savings account and then we match family deposits up to $25 per year. We also make deposits of $25 on the child’s 5th, 10th, 15th and 18th birthday. The account also pays high interest. The combination of these factors makes it a great savings vehicle for education for children.
Excite is distributing Sammy Rabbit books to children as part of the program via schools, non-profits and their branches. According to Excite VP for Community Relations, John Hogan, the combination of the fun books to build great habits and Excite’s contributions to kick-off and support those habits is a powerful incentive for families to start savings accounts for their children’s education.
The Step Up Savings program is off to a great start and has earned print and television coverage in English and Spanish.
San Jose Spotlight reports on Step Up Savings Strategy
San Jose credit union launches program to help low-income students save for college.
A unique partnership between a local credit union and a slew of East Side school districts could help low-income students in Silicon Valley do something many have only dreamed of — save up for college.
Excite Credit Union Chief Executive Officer Brian Dorcy this month announced the Step Up Savings Program, a partnership between the credit union and the East Side Alliance, a group of eight East San Jose school districts, that allows children to begin saving money for higher education by making an initial investment and then matching those funds. READ MORE
Telemundo 48 reports on Step Up Savings Strategy
Additional Media and Awareness
Media
- Financial Advisor Magazine Quotes John Hogan, Excite Credit Union, VP, Community Relations
- Interview and Featured Blog: Brian Dorcy, Excite Credit Union, CEO
- Excite Credit Union featured in Sammy Rabbit 2019 Highlights and Programs
Social Media Posts
Samples of posts featured and promoted on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
- LinkedIn: Expert Money Tips posts
- LinkedIn: Sharing social media news – San Jose Spotlight
- Facebook: Welcome Excite Credit Union
- Facebook: Brian Dorcy Interview
- Twitter: Sammy Rabbit Excite Credit Union Collaboration
- Twitter: Sammyriffic to support Excite Credit Union
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