Since its launch in 2001, the ABC Program for Education has been at the center of the Sunflower Bank’s investment in our communities. By leveraging everyday banking activities, the program generates funds to help schools purchase essential resources, launch new initiatives, and support academic success.
“Through the ABC Program, we are continuing our mission of Creating Possibility for our communities by helping schools and students thrive,” said Mollie Carter, Executive Chairman of Sunflower Bank.
The ABC Program allows customers to designate a participating school to receive a donation from Sunflower Bank each time they make a qualifying debit card transaction. With over $1.8 million donated since its creation, the program has become a trusted resource for participating schools in our banking footprint.
In 2024 alone, Sunflower Bank donated $103,589 to participating schools.
ABC Program Impact Across Individual Communities
Sunflower Bank has a long history of supporting local schools with ABC Program donations and more. This allows our employees to build impactful relationships with school and district personnel in their individual communities.
Salina, Kansas: Starting and Cultivating the Community-Changing Program
Salina holds a special place in the history of the ABC Program, being the original home city of Sunflower Bank and the birthplace of the program in 2001. Our longtime employee and Market President Cheryl Campbell has been instrumental in launching and expanding the program in Salina schools.
Establishing the program in Salina required building trust with cautious school districts. Cheryl emphasized the importance and impact of in-person meetings to explain the program’s benefits and operations. “We had to prove ourselves first. They thought we were just trying to sell products and advertise, so we had to show them this program was for their benefit,” she noted.
The journey started with USD 305, which operates 13 different schools in Salina. The superintendent at the time was hesitant to support the program across all schools, fearing that the low-income area schools might not benefit equally. However, after agreeing to try it out for a year, it became evident that these schools, driven by proactive PTO and PTA organizations, worked harder to receive more funds. “After the first year, he (the superintendent) was all in, and we were able to use Salina as a referral base,” Cheryl recalled.
The funds distributed to USD 305 schools through the ABC Program are a welcomed annual contribution. Principals anticipate the checks, each using the funds raised for their school to address their school’s unique needs. The district’s CFO often contacts Cheryl, noting that principals are looking for the checks.
Having an active school district enrolled in the program quickly helped Cheryl add another local school district and a private Catholic school, broadening the program’s impact in Salina.
Cheryl stresses that promotion and communication are key to the program’s ongoing success. Every time the superintendent changes, she meets the new one in person and introduces the program to make sure the superintendent understands the program and how it’s helping their schools. Ensuring that Sunflower Bank’s branch employees discuss the program with customers is crucial as well. Cheryl regularly attends PTO and PTA meetings to discuss the program and reinforce the importance that we place on community involvement at Sunflower Bank.
The program’s reputation in Salina has also grown through word of mouth over the years. “We’re known for the ABC Program in Salina now,” Cheryl remarked.
"We had to prove ourselves first. They thought we were just trying to sell products and advertise, so we had to show them this program was for their benefit. After the first year, he (the superintendent) was all in, and we were able to use Salina as a referral base. We’re known for the ABC Program in Salina now."
Dodge City, Kansas: Building Lasting Relationships Through Support for Education
In Dodge City, the ABC Program is deeply integrated into the school system, thanks to the efforts of many Sunflower Bank employees over the years. Currently, Branch Manager Maria Ferreiro and Senior Branch Manager Ana Sanchez lead the partnership of the program with the community. Together, they’ve built strong connections with USD 443 in Dodge City, even as school policies have evolved.
Donations have reached upwards of $18,000 in a single year, enabling schools to invest in projects like technology upgrades, including iPads. Superintendent Allan Cunningham shared, “These funds allow us to take on projects, both big and small, that would otherwise be impossible.”
Maria Ferreiro, who has been with Sunflower Bank for 34 years, highlighted the personal rewards of the program: “When we walk into the schools, they recognize us and know how much we’ve supported their events, sports, and special programs. It’s uplifting to see the impact.”
Ana Sanchez, who has been with the bank for 10 years, echoed this sentiment: “The ABC Program is about more than donations—it’s about relationships. We’re proud to be the educational and banking connection for our schools.”
“The ABC Program is about more than donations—it’s about relationships. We’re proud to be the educational and banking connection for our schools.”
Great Bend and Ellinwood, Kansas: Expanding the Program’s Impact Beyond Donations
Both Great Bend and Ellinwood have had active participants in the ABC Program since its inception in 2001. In 2006, Community Development Officer Becca Maxwell joined the bank and has helped build on a strong foundation and grow the relationships with local schools exponentially.
“Our partnership with the schools is so strong that they’ll post anything for us, let us into their buildings, and fully provide support for the program,” Becca shared.
The funds have supported creative projects like a nature center at the local grade school, where students use ABC Program donations to buy bird feed, bulbs, and plants to create a hands-on learning environment.
What makes Becca, and the relationships she’s built in these schools, so effective is that she sees the ABC Program as just the beginning of the relationship with a school. “We can get into the schools through ABC, but I love to use it to build on those relationships and do financial education and make other connections with the students.”
Beyond donations, the program has opened doors for additional initiatives, such as Reality U, a financial literacy program that connects students across the region.
Becca Maxwell (left) and Assistant Branch Manager Megan Martinez (right) presenting an ABC Program check to St. Joseph's School in Ellinwood in 2019
Hays, Kansas: Long-Lasting Connections Helping Support Education Across an Entire Community
Thanks to a few recently retired, long-tenured Sunflower Bank employees, Mike Briney, Judy Parks, and Wanda Karlin, the ABC Program is an established staple among all elementary, middle, and high schools in Hays.
Regional Manager Chrissy Stacken and Senior Branch Manager Rachel Augustine now spearhead the efforts. They continue to strengthen the relationships and build rapport with the schools and the Hays community through activities including hosting local Chamber events and check presentations for donations within the community.
One big initiative that was made possible in the past by ABC Program funds was the implementation and maintenance of emergency classroom “go-bags” for teachers and students, filled with supplies like flashlights and first aid kits that come in handy in case of emergency.
Mike Briney, Wanda Karlin, and colleagues presenting the ABC Program donation to Hays USD 489 in 2019
Cañon City, Colorado: Education Support that the Community Relies on and Appreciates
Cañon City is another Sunflower Bank market in which many schools have benefited from ABC Program donations since the program’s introduction.
Senior Branch Manager Claudine Paolino, who has managed the local program since the start, emphasized how important the program is to the community and how different it is from anything else in Cañon City. “The ABC Program is one of a kind. In our community, nobody else does anything like it. It’s our way to give to the schools and they don’t have to do anything but let people know about the program, and we can still help with that.”
Across the 23 years, program donations have gone towards several different efforts including providing the supplies for a school-wide science fair, funding an end-of-year fun day with a bounce house and other activities, purchasing t-shirts for an entire school to wear on Fridays, and upgrading computers for high schoolers.
Claudine detailed the schools’ enthusiasm about the annual donations: “They look forward to this funding every year because it allows them to do something extra for their students that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.”
Cañon City High School showed their thanks for the bank and the program’s donations over the years by hanging a Sunflower Bank banner in its football stadium, reinforcing the deep community partnership the ABC Program has built in Cañon City.
"The ABC Program is one of a kind. In our community, nobody else does anything like it. It’s our way to give to the schools and they don’t have to do anything but let people know about the program, and we can still help with that. They look forward to this funding every year because it allows them to do something extra for their students that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.”
Pueblo, Colorado: Promotion and Outreach Help Expand the Impact of the Program
In Pueblo, the ABC Program has grown to be wide-ranging and impactful, encompassing all 36 schools across Districts 60 and 70, as well as five private and Catholic schools. The partnership has been in place since 2006, when Sunflower Bank began operating in Pueblo.
Senior Branch Manager Vicki Schmitz has managed the relationships in Pueblo for the past nine years and helps lead the conversation with promotion and presence.
“We go out to a lot of the schools and take flyers to any event where we can get in front of parents and explain how their students and school can benefit from the program,” Vicki explained.
Bank employees actively promote the program in-branch, while our staff also attends school events like parent-teacher conferences and award assemblies to make sure the schools are maximizing the donation they receive. They also use this as an opportunity to promote our twice-a-year “Pay for As” drawings that encourage students to bring report cards into our branches for a chance to earn up to $100 for their A grades.
In 2024, the program donated over $4,000 to Pueblo schools, with past years seeing totals as high as $6,000. The donations go into general funds for the schools to tap into as needed.
Vicki touched on the schools’ appreciation for our presence, “The schools appreciate the program, and we’re excited to continue growing our impact in the community.”
“We go out to a lot of the schools and take flyers to any event where we can get in front of parents and explain how their students and school can benefit from the program. The schools appreciate the program, and we’re excited to continue growing our impact in the community.”
Tomball, Texas: Partnerships with Community Education Leaders Pushes Program Forward
In Tomball, the ABC Program is still in its newer stages, having been active for the three years that Sunflower Bank has had a branch in town. Led by Branch Manager Kendra Perez and her team members Maryam Cole and Rachel Jeanes, the program currently serves the school district in town that consists of 24 schools as well as two other independent institutions.
Their efforts to grow the program in Tomball have been facilitated by strong connections with key figures in the community, including the school superintendent, assistant principals, and counselors. The superintendent’s involvement with the local Chamber of Commerce helped provide an early entry point for Sunflower Bank to establish these vital relationships.
The Tomball team’s commitment to the program and their community relationships extends beyond the classroom. They actively participate in community events, such as donating to the local chamber’s new teacher appreciation day, which supports over 300 teachers by providing essential supplies. Additionally, their relationship with the school counselors was aided by inviting several counselors to join them in National Women’s Day activities. The team has also provided high school career support in the past, including resume building and interview preparation workshops.
Helping these students learn and grow is a passion of the team in Tomball.
“We like to build relationships because we watch the customers and their kids grow up,” said Rachel. “It’s cool to see people grow up and grow into their life, so we like establishing these connections. We have a passion for people, so anything we can do to help them excites us.”
Looking ahead, the team is eager to expand the program’s reach within the Tomball area. “Tomball is huge, so we would like to be able to have more schools involved,” they noted. “We haven’t tapped the market fully yet but are excited to continue to do so and grow.”
“We like to build relationships because we watch the customers and their kids grow up. It’s cool to see people grow up and grow into their life, so we like establishing these connections. We have a passion for people, so anything we can do to help them excites us.”
Other Employee Perspectives
Sunflower Bank employees are at the heart of the ABC Program’s success, often going above and beyond to create meaningful connections with schools. This has led to just as many lasting memories and impactful moments for our employees as it has for schools and students.
In Dodge City, Regional Manager Jessica Slattery, who previously led the program in Dodge City, had a blast dressing in a “Bubba the Bear” mascot suit during a school visit to teach financial literacy, even if the feet were too big for her to do cartwheels for the students.
“It was special to share financial literacy lessons and show students the importance of education. It’s something I didn’t have as a kid, and being able to provide that for them is amazing,” Jessica reflected.
Claudine Paolino of Cañon City shared a story of one elementary school learning of another participating school in the city using ABC Program funds to host a Fun Day for the students with a bounce house, activities, games, and prizes. After having an overwhelming number of students come to school excited by the idea, the second school reached out to the first one who then connected them with Claudine to explore how ABC Program funds could help them organize a similar event. She mentioned that it helps when the schools want to see more possibilities for their students, “The schools love the program because it allows them to do something special for their students.”
What’s Next for the ABC Program
The ABC Program for Education continues to grow as more customers and schools participate, leading to more investments from Sunflower Bank into education in our communities. Even after over two decades of impact, we remain committed to expanding our contributions and fostering deeper connections with schools across our bank footprint.
“Together, we are Creating Possibility for students, schools, and communities,” said Mollie Carter. “The ABC Program is a testament to what we can achieve when we work together.”
To learn more about the program or register your debit card, visit our ABC Program page.
ABC Program TV Commercial featuring Mollie Carter, 2012
“Together, we are Creating Possibility for students, schools, and communities. The ABC Program is a testament to what we can achieve when we work together.”