Springfield, IL-(Mattoon Radio)- Bolingbrook Nonprofit That Twice Saw Thieves Steal Catalytic Converters off Donation Trucks Receives $5,500
Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs is returning $100,000 in missing money to food pantries throughout the state.
Each December, Frerichs’ office focuses on returning money through the ICash program to nonprofit groups that help people in need. This year, Frerichs decided to help food pantries that saw resources stretched and demand spike when the federal government shutdown stopped food assistance to many Illinois families in November.
“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.”
On Thursday, Frerichs visited the food pantry at 4 K.I.D.S. Sake in the southwest suburbs to return $5,500 to the nonprofit. Twice this year, thieves stole the catalytic converters from their donation trucks to sell for scrap metal. The latest theft happened in November.
The Bolingbrook nonprofit was founded in 2012 by Theresa Watson when she was 17 and saw that needs of so many children in difficult situations were not being met. Since then, the charity has helped more than 10,000 children. 4 K.I.D.S. Sake has a food pantry and resale shop.
“This money will help as we try to meet the needs of families during the holiday season,” Watson said. “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.
Illinois’ unclaimed property program, also known as ICash, is one of the state’s oldest consumer protection initiatives. 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. To see if you have unclaimed property, 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.
Here is a list of the 86 food pantries (by county) that Treasurer Frerichs is returning money to this month:
BOONE
Belvidere
- Grace Family Church – $541.60
Capron
- Empower Boone – $15,125.16
BUREAU
Princeton
- Bureau County Food Pantry – $1,500
CHAMPAIGN
Urbana
- Eastern Illinois Foodbank – $148.21
COOK
Berwyn
- Ebenezer Christian Reformed Church – $1,925.65
Bridgeview
- The Mosque Foundation – $200
Chicago
- A Little Bit of Heaven – $44.25
- A Safe Haven Foundation – $504
- ABJ Civic Arts Center – $409.16
- Allen Metropolitan Christian Methodist Episcopal Church – $317.90
- American Indian Center – $16,075.09
- Apostolic Pentecostal Church of Morgan Park – $124.47
- Faith Tabernacle Baptist Church – $516.20
- Firman Community Services – $1,552.05
- Greater Chicago Food Depository – $69.21
- Henry Booth House – $418
- Iglesia Amor de Dios United Methodist Church – $47.70
- Lincoln Park Community Services – $139.41
- Northwestern Settlement – $100
- Open Arms Ministry – $110.28
- Perfected Way Ministries – $300.77
- Pilsen Wellness Center Inc. – $223.19
- Polish American Association – $686.40
- Saint Vincent dePaul Center – $140.04
- Sixth Grace Presbyterian Church – $100
- St Stanislaus Kostka Catholic Church – $1,000
Chicago Heights
- Chicago Miracle Temple Church – $293.14
Glenview
- Northfield Township Food Pantry – $501
Maywood
- The Second Baptist Church – $272.64
Mount Prospect
- Northwest Compass, Inc. – $84
Oak Park
- Beyond Hunger – $30.15
Palatine
- Palatine Township – $205.35
Posen
- Abounding Life Church of God in Christ – $754.02
Rolling Meadows
- Harvest Bible Chapel – Rolling Meadows – $245.61
South Barrington
- Willow Creek Care Center – $1,241.77
Tinley Park
- Together We Cope – $91.50
DEKALB
DeKalb
- Hope Haven of DeKalb County, Inc. – $120
DUPAGE
Carol Stream
- Interfaith Food Pantry – $22.58
Elmhurst
- Elmhurst-Yorkfield Food Pantry – $602
Lisle
- Lisle Township Food Pantry – $150
- Reach Community Services – $35
Lombard
- Lombard Villa Park Food Pantry – $100
Naperville
- Loaves & Fishes Community Services – $61.18
Warrenville
- St. Irene Catholic Church – $75
HANCOCK
Carthage
- Hancock County Health Department – $350
HENRY
Cambridge
- GROW Ministries Inc. – $90
Geneseo
- Geneseo-Atkinson Food Pantry – $75
Orion
- Orion Area Food Pantry – $250
KANE
Aurora
- Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry – $5,006.40
- Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry – $47.51
- Two Rivers Head Start Agency – $2,965.36
Carpentersville
- FISH Food Pantry – $8,991.42
Elgin
- First United Methodist Church – $254.66
Geneva
- Northern Illinois Food Bank – $218.23
KANKAKEE
Kankakee
- Kankakee County Community Services, Inc. – $611.16
KENDALL
Yorkville
- Kendall County Community Food Pantry – $69.87
LAKE
Round Lake Park
- Avon Township Center Food Pantry – $328.43
Waukegan
- COOL Food Pantry – $1,145
- Club Apaseo El Alto – $999.45
- Community Action Partnership of Lake County – $12,192.81
Zion
- Christian Faith Fellowship Church – $103.92
LOGAN
Lincoln
- Lincoln Logan Food Pantry – $278
MADISON
Edwardsville
- Glen-Ed Pantry – $100
McLEAN
Normal
- Midwest Food Bank – $746.76
PEORIA
Bartonville
- Bartonville Christian Church – $103.98
Peoria
- Neighborhood House – $1,319.27
- Saint Sharbel Maronite Catholic Church – $60.48
- The Salvation Army – $1,676.38
- Zion Baptist Church – $113.24
West Peoria
- Bread of Life West Peoria – $180.05
ROCK ISLAND
Moline
- River Bend Food Bank – $244.47
Rock Island
- Project Now – $764.18
ST. CLAIR
East St. Louis
- Call For Help – $500
- East St. Louis Township – $1,072.60
- Lessie Bates Davis Neighborhood House – $123.67
Freeburg
- Food and Clothing Bank – $212.88
STEPHENSON
German Valley
- German Valley Food Pantry – $150
VERMILION
Danville
- Danville Rescue – $2,070.20
WARREN
Monmouth
- Jamieson Community Center – $97.33
WHITESIDE
Sterling
- Sauk Valley Foodbank – $1,177.64
- Whiteside County Senior Center – $873.73
WILL
Bolingbrook
- 4 K.I.D.S. Sake – $5,499.45
Frankfort
- Frankfort Township Food Pantry – $997.37
Joliet
- Warren-Sharpe Community Center – $108.02
WILLIAMSON
Marion
- Marion Ministerial Alliance – $72.52
WINNEBAGO
Rockford
- Remedies Renewing Lives – $97.13
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