DECATUR, Ill.– Land of Lincoln Credit Union (LLCU) has donated $50,000 to the Empowerment Opportunity Center to officially kick-off a new partnership for a local Scholarship Program.
The donation will be combined with a $20,000 Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) previously awarded to Empowerment Opportunity Center to be able to offer $70,000 in local scholarship dollars to qualified applicants in 2026. The Scholarship Program is designed to provide educational financial scholarships to qualified low-income individuals who wish to pursue traditional two- and four-year degree programs, vocational programs, or certification programs.
In the partnership, Empowerment Opportunity Center will manage the application process while LLCU will provide financial literacy education and counseling, something that each scholarship recipient will be required to complete. Scholarship recipients will maintain contact with both agencies throughout their education pursuit to continue to receive financial guidance and counseling.
“A few years ago, when LLCU Senior Leadership and our Board of Directors were constructing a 5-Year Organizational Strategic Plan, we made a pledge that once we reached $500 million in assets, we would implement an Education Assistance Initiative designed to award $50,000 in scholarships to low-income community members,” Robert Ares, LLCU president and CEO, said in a statement. “At the end of last year, we achieved that $500 million target and so it was time to fulfill our promise. We are fortunate to have such a great partner in Empowerment Opportunity Center to help us to do so fairly, effectively and efficiently.”
For LLCU, the overall plan is to roll out Education Assistance Initiative in all markets of its service area, adding a new market as LLCU continues to grow. Empowerment Opportunity Center will play an integral role in helping LLCU identify other potential local partner agencies using local connections through the Illinois Association of Community Action Agencies.
