July 16, 2025 – Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs returned a record $303.8 million in missing money to nearly 312,000 residents, businesses and organizations through the I-CASH program during Fiscal Year 2025.
Frerichs marked the record-breaking total by presenting a check for more than $200,000 to the Orphans of the Storm animal shelter in Riverwoods. The money comes from a late Lake County woman who named the shelter as a beneficiary of her life insurance policy.
“We made common-sense changes to I-CASH to return more money to more folks, and we are proud to set records,” Frerichs said. “But we’re even more proud of helping people. One of my biggest fights was to take on insurance companies to make sure life insurance benefits rightfully end up with the people and organizations they were left to.”
This gift represents a meaningful and impactful contribution to Orphans of the Storm and comes as the shelter approaches its 100th anniversary and is actively planning for the next century of compassionate animal care.
“We are deeply grateful for this generous gift and for Treasurer Frerichs’ leadership in making sure it reached us,” said Michelle Shields, Volunteer President of the Board of Directors at Orphans of the Storm. “For nearly a century, our shelter has been part of the fabric of this community. We have connected people and animals through love, care, and second chances. This support honors that legacy and helps us build toward a future where every animal has a safe place to land and a family to call their own.”
The record-setting $303.8 million Treasurer Frerichs returned in missing money broke last year’s mark, which was $301 million.
