Illinois church donates newly found unclaimed property to Ukraine

BLOOMINGDALE, Ill. (WICS/WRSP) — An Illinois church intends to use funds it has received from unclaimed property to help the people who are suffering in Ukraine.

St. Andrew Ukrainian Church in Bloomingdale, which is a cultural and religious center for Chicago’s west suburban Ukrainian community, recently received $43,000 in unclaimed property.

The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office recently found the unclaimed money and reached out to church officials to return it.

The state agency discovered the church was owed the money while conducting unclaimed property compliance audits of companies. The office found that an investment bank was holding 220 shares of a tech stock for the church that had gone unclaimed since 2018. The stock makes up most of the $43,523.15 returned to St. Andrew. Included in that total is more than $3,600 in dividends.

“We’re so glad to have reunited St. Andrew with this money as the church supports Ukraine at such a crucial time in the country’s history,” Frerichs said. “It’s so important that we do what we can in Illinois to help brave Ukrainians stand against Vladimir Putin’s unjust invasion.”

St. Andrew has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars in money and much-needed items to Ukraine since Russia invaded the country in late February 2022, Frerichs said.

On Saturdays, the church sells homemade pierogi and cabbage rolls to raise funds. Church officials say the money has helped Ukrainians to buy tourniquets, diapers and food. In addition, St. Andrew has collected medical supplies, including walkers, crutches and wheelchairs.

Church member Jaroslav “Jerry” Sydorenko said St. Andrew will use the unclaimed property funds to help the people who are suffering in Ukraine.

“We appreciate all the work the Illinois state treasurer’s office did with this project and helping us to receive those funds,” said Sydorenko, of Hoffman Estates. “Ukraine has been in a fight for its life for the last three months. Due to this war, we will be forwarding all of the funds for humanitarian purposes in Ukraine.”

An estimated one-in-four adults in Illinois who search the I-Cash website find unclaimed property, with an average claim of $1,000, according to Frerichs.

Find out if any unclaimed property is waiting for you by visiting the Illinois Treasurer's website here.