Bolingbrook Pantry Receiving Funds Via State's 'Missing Money' Program

BOLINGBROOK, IL — This December, local food pantries, including one in Bolingbrook, are set to receive funds through the state's "Missing Money" program. In all, Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs is returning $100,000 in missing money to food pantries throughout the state.

4 KIDS Sake in Bolingbrook has been the target of two catalytic converter thefts this year. The latest theft happened in November.

Frerichs visited the food pantry on Thursday, and returned $5,500 to the nonprofit. According to a news release, the nonprofit was founded in 2012 by Theresa Watson, when she was 17. The charity has helped more than 10,000 children through its food pantry and resale shop.

“This money will help as we try to meet the needs of families during the holiday season,” Watson said in a news release. “We pick up six days a week. Our trucks are critical to serving families. These thefts have been devastating, but we’re strong and resilient.”

The money for 4 K.I.D.S Sake came to the Illinois Treasurer’s Office from a health insurance company last year.

“What those thieves did to 4 K.I.D.S Sake’s trucks is unconscionable. This group does so much to help people, and we are happy to be able to do something to help them, especially at such an important time of year,” said Frerichs, who returned the money along with Bolingbrook Mayor Mary Alexander-Basta, State Sen. Meg Loughran-Cappel of Shorewood, and State Reps. Natalie Manley of Joliet and Dagmara Avelar of Romeoville.

Each December, Frerichs' office focuses on returning money through the ICash program to nonprofit groups that help people in need. The gesture is especially important this year following the recent federal government shutdown, which stopped food assistance to many Illinois families in last month.

"Food pantries always step up to feed people in need," Frerichs said. "It's been a challenging year with federal cutbacks to food banks earlier in the year. The Trump administration opting to cut off food assistance to our state’s neediest folks last month was a double whammy. We wanted to see if we could help, when our local food pantries put meals on the table for millions of Illinoisans."

The unclaimed property program is one of the state's oldest consumer protection initiatives, according to the treasurer's office. In Illinois, the state treasurer is tasked with safeguarding unclaimed property, such as the contents of overlooked safe deposit boxes, unpaid life insurance benefits, forgotten bank accounts and unused rebate cards.

Illinois holds more than $5 billion in unclaimed property. More than $2.4 billion has been returned since Frerichs took office, the most in state history, according to his department.

Residents wondering if they have unclaimed property can check the online database at icash.illinoistreasurer.gov. The state treasurer is legally required to return unclaimed property to its owners or heirs, no matter how long it takes.