Empowering Children
Poppy Bank, Parentis Foundation Empowering Readers OC, and Sammy Rabbit are proud to announce a collaborative initiative designed to help young children in Orange County, California strengthen their financial literacy, reading, and language development skills.
Through this partnership, 2,500 bilingual copies of Sammy’s Big Dream! / ¡El Gran Sueño de Sammy! will be distributed to children and families, along with 2,500 Premium Memberships to Sammy Rabbit’s Money School. These resources ensure that kids—especially those in underserved communities—have fun, engaging, and age-appropriate access to essential early financial education.
Together, we are committed to helping children build strong money habits, grow their confidence, and dream big—one story, song, and activity at a time.
"As a community bank, Poppy Bank is committed to reinvesting in the areas where we live and work. We are drawn to this initiative because we strongly believe in the power of teaching financial literacy at a very early age, enabling children to grow up making informed decisions that will shape their futures. Providing greater access to financial education for low- to moderate-income youth helps bridge the educational equity gap, offering valuable tools and resources that pave the way towards financial independence. When people have financial independence, their opportunities are endless.”
— Khalid Acheckzai, President & Chief Executive Officer, Poppy Bank.
"At Parentis Foundation, we know that reading is the foundation for lifelong learning. Partnering with Sammy Rabbit and Poppy Bank gives us an incredible opportunity to combine literacy and financial education in a fun, meaningful way that helps kids and families thrive. We are excited to launch our Financial Futures for Kids program this coming school year with Sammy Rabbit leading the way."
— Janice Frechette-Artinger, Executive Director, Parentis Foundation
"This is exactly the type of collaboration we are proud to be a part of—working hand-in-hand with mission-driven organizations like Poppy Bank and Parentis Foundation to empower children with the tools and confidence to dream big and build smart money habits early."
— Sam X Renick, Creator of Sammy Rabbit
About Poppy Bank
Since opening the first branch in January 2005, Poppy Bank has grown to $7 Billion in assets with branches across the San Francisco Bay, Roseville-Sacramento, Greater Los Angeles, Orange County, and Greater San Diego Areas, and loan production offices in Northern and Southern California, as well as Nevada, Arizona, and Texas. Poppy Bank is committed to providing the best products and services, which has propelled its success and garnered national recognition for performance. Poppy Bank is 5-star rated by BauerFinancial Inc., the nation’s leading independent bank and credit union rating firm and is recognized as one of the strongest financial institutions in the country. Poppy Bank has also been ranked as one of the best-performing banks in the nation by the ICBA. The Bank is governed by a strong team of Executive Officers and a dedicated Board of Directors formed entirely by accomplished business leaders. Poppy Bank’s mission is to meet the banking needs of clients and to make a positive difference in the communities served.
For more information, visit: www.poppy.bank.
About Parentis Foundation
Parentis Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving literacy outcomes for children by engaging caring adult volunteers to serve as reading mentors. Through its signature program Empowering Readers OC, Parentis Foundation helps bridge the literacy gap and provides children with the tools and support they need to become confident, lifelong readers.
For more information, visit: Parentis Foundation
About Sammy Rabbit
Sammy Rabbit is the beloved storybook character at the heart of Sammy Rabbit’s Dream Big Financial Education Program. Sammy and his team create joyful resources—books, songs, videos, and activities—that help young children build great money habits, grow their confidence, and inspire big dreams starting as early as age three.
