Kallback said he likes the book because “Sammy Rabbit’s long-term mindset swims against our social current of immediate gratification.”
The books are also effective teaching tools for his students at Loras College who are members of the Financial Planning Association’s Student Chapter and teach basic financial literacy in elementary schools. “Over the last two years, we’ve found Sammy to be effective at instigating conversations for the kids about saving, spending, and objectives. It is a wonderful learning experience for our students as well” Kallback said.
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.
“I often hear adults say "I wish someone taught me this when I was a kid," said Leslie Girone, Founder of Money Smart 101, a Philadelphia-based financial wellness program aimed at empowering K-12 students with basic money management skills.
Girone works to distribute Sammy books to local schools, YMCAs, local businesses and directly to families. “YMCA employees have shouted praise for receiving enough books for every kid, and I walked out feeling like a million bucks. Schools must implement financial education curriculum early and often with an emphasis on saving. Being financially literate is crucial for a prosperous life,” Girone said.