Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs today announced the return of more than $43,000 in unclaimed property to St. Andrew Ukrainian Church in Bloomingdale.
The Treasurer’s Office recently found the unclaimed money and reached out to church officials to return it. The gorgeous Ukrainian Orthodox church, which is a cultural and religious center for Chicago’s west suburban Ukrainian community, has stepped up its charity work in Ukraine following the unprovoked and immoral Russian invasion.
Unclaimed property, also known as I-Cash, refers to money or accounts within financial institutions or companies in which there has been no activity for several years. Unclaimed property includes forgotten bank accounts, unpaid life insurance benefits, the contents of safe deposit boxes and other items.
In the case of St. Andrew, the Treasurer’s Office discovered the church was owed the money while conducting unclaimed property compliance audits of companies. The office found that an investment bank was holding 220 shares of a tech stock for the church that had gone unclaimed since 2018. The stock makes up most of the $43,523.15 returned to St. Andrew. Included in that total is more than $3,600 in dividends the Treasurer’s Office also found.
“We’re so glad to have reunited St. Andrew with this money as the church supports Ukraine at such a crucial time in the country’s history,” Frerichs said. “It’s so important that we do what we can in Illinois to help brave Ukrainians stand against Vladimir Putin’s unjust invasion.”
St. Andrew has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars in money and much-needed items to Ukraine since Russia invaded the country in late February 2022. On Saturdays, the church sells homemade vareniki (pierogi) and cabbage rolls to raise funds. Church officials say the money has helped Ukrainians to buy tourniquets, diapers and food. In addition, St. Andrew has collected medical supplies, including walkers, crutches and wheelchairs. Church Board President John Jaresko and Pastor Rev. Victor Poliarny have led the way and stressed the importance of rallying around Ukraine and calling for the world to do the same.
Church member Jaroslav “Jerry” Sydorenko said St. Andrew will use the funds to help the people who are suffering in Ukraine.
“We appreciate all the work the Illinois state treasurer’s office did with this project and helping us to receive those funds,” said Sydorenko, of Hoffman Estates. “Ukraine has been in a fight for its life for the last three months. Due to this war, we will be forwarding all of the funds for humanitarian purposes in Ukraine.”
Frerichs this week announced I-Cash reached a historic milestone when it paid its 1 millionth claim since he took office in 2015. The office has returned a record-shattering $1.4 billion to Illinois taxpayers during that time.
- Michelle Flaherty - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:48 pm:
Pinch me, I must be dreaming.
Legit good news delivered in a straight-forward release.
- ANNON'IN - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 2:59 pm:
Another great achievement by French’s and Co.
- Jayne Adams - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 3:00 pm:
Action, not just words.
- JoanP - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 3:00 pm:
Excellent.
- TheInvisibleMan - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 3:09 pm:
Frerichs has done a great job in the office, with this program specifically.
The efforts he puts into publicizing what would otherwise be an unknown state program have been helpful.
I’ve said before but I was able to find an old landline phone deposit from when I lived in an apartment years(decades cough cough) ago. I then searched under my parents names and found an old life insurance policy under my grandfathers name payable to them. That one was much larger than an old phone deposit.
If you haven’t gone to the I-Cash site and searched your name, it’s worth the 2 minutes to check. There might be a hundred bucks, or possibly even more, just sitting there waiting for you to come along and claim it.
Remember, it’s unclaimed property. If you knew you had money sitting somewhere you would have already claimed it. This program is like a backup accountant when(not if) you miss something owed to you over the decades of your life.
- twowaystreet - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 3:10 pm:
This is an underrated program. The Treasurer’s office contacted me about unclaimed property a few years ago. It was substantially less than $43,000, but it was still money I thought I was never going to see again because ComEd refused to figure out how to update my mailing address after repeated calls giving them my new address to send my security deposit refund to.
- Donnie Elgin - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 3:15 pm:
“St. Andrew Ukrainian Church in Bloomingdale”
Great news for this beautiful church. On Saturday mornings they open up their kitchen and sell some of the best Pierogi/sausage/and cabbage rolls.
- Jibba - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 3:41 pm:
I have found several items for myself, relatives, and friends. Some have been from 30 years ago. Usually under a hundred bucks, but good for everybody. And Fredrick’s has been doing this for years. Kudos.
- Jibba - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 3:43 pm:
Frerichs…darn autocorrect.
- Almost the Weekend - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 6:31 pm:
Ows Frerichs comment must have went in the unclaimed property vault.
Good work, plain and simple.
- OurMagician - Wednesday, May 18, 22 @ 6:43 pm:
I seem like the only person who’s had nothing but troubles with trying to claim money from this. Tried multiple times with zero luck, glad others have had much better experiences.
- Help Desk - Thursday, May 19, 22 @ 9:38 am:
@OurMagician -
Sorry to hear that you have had problems. Please email icash@illinoistreasurer.gov with your name and contact info, Claim # if you have one, and we’ll see what we can do to help.
Warmest regards,
Help Desk