2026

Treasurer Frerichs returns a Purple Heart medal to the daughter of a World War II veteran

Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs Returns WWII Purple Heart Medal Earned by Chicago Soldier

VIDEO, SOUND BITES, B-ROLL FOR MEDIA USE AVAILABLE HERE Ahead of St. Patrick’s Day, Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs is announcing the return of a missing Purple Heart medal to the family of a World War II veteran who loved to celebrate his Irish heritage every March 17. Little is known about how Russell J. Reilly lost his right leg in combat other than the simple, short explanation he offered his daughter: saving a friend. “No one leaves the battlefield without scars, and Mr. Reilly’s was more visible than most,” Frerichs…

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Treasurer Frerichs with the 8 recipients of awards in honor of Women's History Month 2026

Treasurer Michael Frerichs Presents Awards to Eight Illinois Leaders in Honor of Women’s History Month

Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs today hosted a celebration to commemorate Women’s History Month and pay tribute to the enduring impact of women in shaping history and benefiting society. The event, held in the Illinois Room at 555 W. Monroe St. in Chicago, was an opportunity to reflect on the great achievements and ongoing contributions of women leaders in Illinois. The eight honorees included a senior vice president at Old National Bank, the CEO of Feeding America, the president and CEO of Northern Illinois Food Bank, a retired Illinois State…

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Treasurer Frerichs stands at a podium as four people, including one using a wheelchair, are beside him

State Treasurer Frerichs Announces 250,000 More Illinoisans with Disabilities Eligible for ABLE Accounts

Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs today announced that an estimated 250,000 Illinoisans with a disability are now eligible to open ABLE accounts that allow them to save and invest money to improve the quality of life without risking federal benefits. The A chieving a B etter L ife E xperience (ABLE) Act, which Congress passed in 2014, required that people had to have acquired their disability before their 26th birthday. A change in the law, effective this year, raised the age limit to before a person’s 46th birthday, meaning about 6…

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Aerial view of Frerichs family farm

Connectivity Creates Competitiveness

I recently read a description of an outhouse: A small building a hundred feet from your house that’s a hundred feet too far in the winter, and a hundred feet too close in the summer. This reminded me of a conversation I had with Dad a few years ago. I grew up with indoor plumbing. Every friend I knew had indoor plumbing. My father did not until he was about 8. Before then, he had to use an outhouse and bed pans. This shocked me. Although I knew indoor plumbing…

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Treasurer Frerichs at a Rockford press conference on Charitable Trust grants

Treasurer Michael Frerichs Unveils $200,000 in Grants to 10 Small Nonprofits Throughout Illinois

Key Points: Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs today unveiled nearly $200,000 in Charitable Trust grants to 10 small nonprofits that help people stay in their homes and get job training. “We are helping people who need a helping hand at a time when so many folks are struggling due to higher costs and as our federal government yanks away lifelines,” Treasurer Frerichs said at a news conference in Rockford. “I’m proud to partner with nonprofit organizations that tirelessly work to improve the lives of Illinoisans in need and make our…

Read MoreTreasurer Michael Frerichs Unveils $200,000 in Grants to 10 Small Nonprofits Throughout Illinois