I-CASH Program Continues to Set Records
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Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs marked National Dog Day on Wednesday by returning $28,000 in unclaimed property to PAWS Chicago.
“PAWS Chicago does such a great job finding so many dogs and cats their forever homes, and it’s our job to reunite people with money that belongs to them through the I-CASH program,” Treasurer Frerichs said. “We are proud to team up with PAWS Chicago to put the money to good use helping connect people with pets.”
“We are incredibly grateful to Treasurer Frerichs and his office for connecting PAWS Chicago with these unclaimed funds,” said Paula Fasseas, Founder and Executive Chair of PAWS Chicago. “Every dollar makes a difference in our lifesaving work, helping us save and find loving homes for nearly 5,000 homeless pets and perform more than 21,000 spay/neuter surgeries each year, including free and low-cost services that help make veterinary care more accessible to pet owners facing financial barriers. Receiving this unexpected gift on National Dog Day makes it even more meaningful.”
Ald. Brian Hopkins praised PAWS Chicago’s work.
“I’m proud to join State Treasurer Mike Frerichs in returning these valuable funds to PAWS Chicago, whose lifesaving work is building a No Kill community, addressing animal homelessness, and setting a higher standard for animal welfare,” Ald. Hopkins said.
National Dog Day, which has been around since 2004, celebrates all dogs and brings public awareness to the number of dogs that need to be rescued.
PAWS Chicago has helped more than 94,000 animals find homes since it was founded in 1997. Today, the organization operates an adoption center, training center, high-volume spay/neuter clinic and medical hospital in Chicago, along with community outreach programs that help keep pets healthy and with the families who love them. Together, these lifesaving programs have helped drive a nearly 89% reduction in the number of homeless pets killed in Chicago since PAWS’ founding. Last month, PAWS broke ground on the PAWS Chicago Rescue Ranch in north suburban Hawthorn Woods, a transformative 20-acre campus that will expand lifesaving efforts for homeless dogs and cats while increasing access to affordable and free spay/neuter services across Chicagoland.
On Saturday morning, the shelter will hold its 26th PAWS Chicago 5K Walk/Run for Their Lives, a day of fun, dog agility courses, raffles, entertainment, treats, and more at Montrose Harbor.
Most of the $28,000 for PAWS Chicago was turned over by a bank to the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office, money from an insurance policy. The money was returned through I-CASH, one of Illinois’ oldest consumer protection initiatives. The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office is tasked with safeguarding and returning unclaimed property, including the contents of overlooked safe deposit boxes, unpaid life insurance benefits, forgotten bank accounts and unused rebate cards. The Illinois Treasurer is legally required to return unclaimed property to its owner or heirs, no matter how long it takes.
Treasurer Frerichs returned a record $307.8 million in missing money to more than 567,000 residents, businesses and organizations through the I-CASH program during Fiscal Year 2026.
All told, Frerichs has returned more than $2.6 billion in missing money during his time in office. When Frerichs first became Treasurer, there were 60,000 claims paid a year. Today, more than 300,000 claims are paid during a normal year, owing in no small part to Frerichs’ complete restructuring of the missing money process. The State Treasurer’s Office added electronic claims and eliminated red tape that slowed small-money claims.
Frerichs also added a Friends and Family “share” feature. When visitors to the I-CASH website come across the name of someone they know, they can select the “share” icon and provide the email address of their friend or relative. Frerichs’ office will notify the individual by sending an email that mentions the missing money along with the name of the friend or relative who spotted it. Then, that individual can start the process of retrieving their missing money.
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Eric Krol 312.814.1252
Adriana Colindres 217.558.1920
About the Treasurer
The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office is a powerful economic engine that invests in people to drive prosperity, development and growth throughout the state. As State Treasurer, Michael Frerichs (FRAIR’iks) is the state’s Chief Investment and Banking Officer and actively manages approximately $60 billion. The investments help families pay for college and trade school; workers save for a dignified retirement; and local governments process bill payments more efficiently so they can pass along the savings to taxpayers. The office provides financial institutions with money to loan to farmers, small business owners, and qualified individuals at below-market rates because better jobs create stronger communities. The office operates the state’s largest consumer-protection initiative, the missing money ICash program, which has returned a record-breaking $2.5 billion since Frerichs was elected.
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About PAWS Chicago
PAWS Chicago is one of the largest comprehensive No Kill animal welfare organizations in the nation, building programs to end the killing of homeless pets. More than 27,000 homeless and at-risk cats and dogs pass through PAWS Chicago’s Medical Center each year. PAWS is known for healing and rehabilitating 5,000 sick, injured, and homeless cats and dogs annually, and finding them loving families through its adoption program. PAWS Chicago also operates the city’s only high-volume spay/neuter clinic, providing more than 21,000 low-or no-cost spay/neuter surgeries last year, reducing pet overpopulation at its source. Since its founding in 1997, when more than 42,000 pets were killed in Chicago, PAWS Chicago has led the reduction in homeless pet euthanasia in Chicago by 88.8%. PAWS Chicago has earned the highest 4-star ranking by Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest independent evaluator, since 2003. For more information, visit www.pawschicago.org and follow PAWS Chicago on Facebook, X, and Instagram.