Economic Awareness Council (EAC)

10/09/2026

Congratulations to Asia, our Chicago Co-Winner of the Be Pay Day Ready Scholarship!

A former student of the Alternative Schools Network and current student at Southern University and A&M College, Asia shares how financial education has helped her develop a long-term perspective on money and understand the impact of everyday financial decisions.

Through the Be Pay Day Ready program, Asia learned that financial stability starts with small habits, intentional spending, and consistent decisions that shape a brighter financial future. We’re proud to celebrate Asia and her accomplishments as she continues her educational journey!

We would like to thank the Wells Fargo Foundation for their support of financial capability programming for students at the Alternative School Network!

09/30/2026

We’re thrilled to welcome Olamide to the EAC Associate Board!

Olamide’s connection to EAC began as a high school student, when she participated in EAC programs focused on financial literacy, including the On the Money internship program, and later became a 2020 scholarship recipient.

Since then, she has graduated from the World Bachelor in Business program at USC (University of Southern California) and has begun her career at McKinsey. Now, she’s returning to EAC as an Associate Board member to help create opportunities for the next generation of students.

We’re so excited to welcome Olamide back to EAC in this new role!

09/03/2026

We are proud to announce the Larry Burda Memorial Scholarship, created in honor of Larry Burda and his longstanding support of the Economic Awareness Council and our mission.

Congratulations to Chiya, our 2026 scholarship recipient! Chiya is beginning her freshman year at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and has already demonstrated an impressive commitment to learning, storytelling, and financial education through her work with EAC’s On the Money internship. During her time with OTM, she strengthened her research and communication skills while helping make complex financial topics accessible and engaging for other young people.

We are deeply grateful to the Burda family for helping make this scholarship possible and for allowing us to honor Larry’s legacy by investing in the next generation of young leaders.

We are excited to see all that Chiya accomplishes in this next chapter and proud to celebrate her as the recipient of this meaningful scholarship!

08/14/2026

Make the Most of Illinois ABLE Savings Day!

The EAC is excited to partner with the Illinois State Treasurer's Office and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to provide ABLE education to youth in care.

ABLE accounts are a valuable financial tool for many youth with disabilities. Learn more about Illinois ABLE accounts at https://illinoisable.com/!

Check out this blog post shared by Sunrise Medical and IL ABLE Account Owner, ABLE advocate & former IL Senator Dan McConchie for Illinois ABLE Savings Day: https://www.sunrisemedical.com/livequickie/blog/august-2026/my-able-account-allows-me-to-live-work-and-thrive?utm_source=ABLE&utm_campaign=30a565b3c3-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2026_02_17_07_05_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-8fda92dba4-380780441

08/10/2026

The EAC is excited to report on our work in 2025–2026 with the City Colleges of Chicago. Our Money Management Center Impact Report highlights both the financial needs of CCC students and the progress made by students through financial education and coaching.

Through our work with , 51% of students who came into the program with debt in collections, decreased their debt at 12 months, with an average reduction of $3,068 of debt. After 12 months of coaching, 59% of students who started with a credit score saw their score increase.

The program also supported students in strengthening their overall financial well-being. 63% of banked students reported having a separate savings account (up 5% from 2024)! The Economic Awareness Council is grateful to continue supporting CCC students as they build their financial literacy, strengthen their financial capability, and work toward greater financial stability!

08/07/2026

Through our partnership with the Alternative Schools Network, the EAC has supported students across Chicago in building financial knowledge and developing practical money-management habits this summer.

Following participation in the program, students’ average financial literacy scores increased from 70.6 to 86.9. Students also reported a 40% increase in having a three-month emergency fund and a 31% increase in having a savings account.

We are grateful to the Wells Fargo Foundation for supporting this program as we continue partnering with ASN to help students strengthen their financial literacy, build financial capability, and work toward greater financial stability!

08/06/2026

Thank you to State Farm Agent Jeffrey Hines for addressing our Chicago Youth Works Peer Financial Educators & On the Money Interns at their graduation at the CFA Society of Chicago Vault this July!

We are very grateful for the support of State Farm and generous agents like Jeffrey Hines. Lisa Cooper Chicago Youth Works

07/24/2026

Great experience with ITAV - thank you for having us!

Building strong financial futures starts with knowledge! 💰

Our Chicagobility participants learned about the importance of banking, saving, and smart money habits during a financial literacy session with Great Lakes Credit Union in partnership with the Economic Awareness Council (EAC).

Thank you for investing in our youth!

07/22/2026

Thank you to the Wells Fargo Foundation for supporting the Economic Awareness Council’s Money Moves financial capability program!

With this support, nearly 800 youth have participated in engaging financial education experiences in 2026. Students have connected with EAC Peer Money Mentors and financial professionals, gaining practical knowledge and tools to help them make confident financial decisions.

We are grateful to Wells Fargo for investing in the financial futures of youths in our communities!

06/11/2026

Thank you to the Wells Fargo Foundation for making our May State ID event possible! With their support, we successfully helped 29 youth obtain a State ID, and many attendees opened bank accounts or met with our credit union partner on-site.

This spring, the EAC and partners have reached 481 students from the Alternative School Network with financial education workshops, and 56 students have completed one-on-one coaching sessions. 100% of coaching participants agreed they learned more about money management, banking, budgeting, or credit!

We are very grateful for the support of the Wells Fargo Foundation, as well as the Alternative School Network, Chicago Youth Works, and the Illinois Secretary of State's office. We look forward to continuing this work through upcoming credit workshops and banking events this summer!