Treasurer Sprague Announces July Compass Award Honorees

COLUMBUS – Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague has announced Compass Award honorees for the month of July. The monthly recognition program commends organizations, programs, and individuals across the state who are working to guide Ohioans toward financial literacy and empowerment.

“Smart financial decisions are built on a strong foundation of financial education,” said Treasurer Sprague. “We’re fortunate to have people and organizations across the Buckeye State using innovative and evidence-based approaches to teach financial literacy to Ohio’s next generation. By helping young people understand personal finance and giving them the tools to make wise decisions, we can guide them on the path to success. The Compass Awards recognize and commend these critical efforts.”

Compass Award honorees for July include: 

Habitat for Humanity Findlay/Hancock County Financial Opportunity Center

Habitat for Humanity Findlay/Hancock County recently opened the Financial Opportunity Center (FOC) to engage, educate, and empower area residents to become financially self-sufficient. The FOC uses evidence-based approaches to help individuals and their families secure gainful employment, build credit, reduce debt, and grow wealth. By providing incremental levels of support and resources based on an individual’s goals and needs, the FOC meets participants where they are and pairs them with a coach to help them reach their career, financial, and educational goals.

Mentor Public Library (Lake County) 

At the Mentor Public Library, area residents can access a range of financial education resources. In addition to offering programs and events, the library has created a reference library of books and resources focusing on a range of financial topics. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the library continued to serve patrons by shifting their financial education efforts to a virtual model and offering youth-oriented activity materials that were available for pick-up by parents and guardians.

Summit County Financial Empowerment Center

In partnership with the City of Akron and the United Way of Summit and Medina counties, the Summit County Financial Empowerment Center provides financial coaching and education services to area residents. The Center’s growing number of staff and coaches educate patrons on topics like budgeting, saving, banking, credit, and tax-preparation. By integrating the United Way’s BankOn program into their offerings, the Center connects participants with specially designed banking products that help people improve their financial health and understanding of banking services.

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Robert Sprague became Ohio’s 49th Treasurer of State on January 14, 2019, bringing to the office his extensive experience working on financial matters in both the public and private sectors. Under Treasurer Sprague’s direction, the office manages the state’s $29 billion investment and $11 billion debt portfolios, collects and deposits all state revenues, and oversees custodial assets.