State Treasurer Dale R. Folwell Praises Samaritan’s Purse, Delivers Over $50,000

Samaritan's Purse has toiled tirelessly in hurricane-splintered Western North Carolina, illustrating its commitment to the biblical lesson of the Good Samaritan to love and help our neighbors. State Treasurer Dale R. Folwell, CPA, returned the favor, delivering money that got sidetracked into the Department of State Treasurer (DST) to the Christian charity.

"Our hearts and minds, our prayers and attention continue to be focused on the people whose lives have been shattered by Hurricane Helene. As usual, Samaritan's Purse has been there from the outset, setting up response centers at six locations across four states to provide aid and comfort," Treasurer Folwell said after delivering checks totaling $50,130.96 to officials at the Samaritan's Purse campus in Wilkes County on Friday, Oct. 11. He was accompanied on the visit by members of the area's state legislative delegation.

"Amid the unimaginable loss, pain and suffering felt in towns and crossroad communities ruined by raging flash floods of historic proportion, the spirit and strength of North Carolinians is shining through in our signature neighbor-helping-neighbor mentality. The massive relief efforts of state-based organizations like Samaritan's Purse deserve our appreciation and support," Treasurer Folwell said.

Money that has become undeliverable for a variety of reasons is safeguarded at DST's Unclaimed Property Division (UPD), commonly called NCCash.com, until the rightful owners claim it. Treasurer Folwell praised UPD staff for making a diligent effort to search for any funds that could be awaiting return to Samaritan's Purse and to help ensure a rapid turnover to the organization.

"For more than 50 years, we have met desperate needs and saved countless lives with the purpose of sharing God's love through His Son, Jesus Christ. We work in more than 100 countries, ministering to victims of war, poverty, disease, famine, and disaster," said Steve Nickel, Samaritan's Purse vice president of donor ministries.

"These funds will equip Samaritan's Purse with the resources it needs to reach those affected by Hurricane Helene. Our teams are responding in three areas to devastation across North Carolina, along with three additional sites in Florida and Georgia. We are assisting homeowners with roof tarping, mud-outs, debris cleanup, and chainsaw work. As many churches and organizations in Western North Carolina are caring for people without access to basic necessities, Samaritan's Purse is supplying them with food, water, and other relief to help them serve their communities," Nickel said.

"As someone who has seen the work of Samaritan's Purse first-hand, I applaud Treasurer Folwell for returning these funds at a time when this organization is doing so much to help our neighbors who have been devastated by Hurricane Helene," said state Rep. Blair Eddins (R-Alexander, Wilkes).

"I am grateful to Treasurer Folwell and the staff at the Unclaimed Property Division for bringing this welcomed money to Samaritan's Purse in Wilkes County," said state Sen. Eddie Settle (R-Alexander, Surry, Wilkes, Yadkin). "It will be a great help to our fellow North Carolinians who have been devastated by the recent hurricane, and others around the world who are also in need."

Samaritan's Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organization known for its worldwide mission of bringing spiritual and physical aid and comfort to hurting people. Samaritan's Purse delivers food, medicine and other essential assistance to victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease and famine on a global level.

Under state law, NCCash.com is currently safeguarding nearly $1.3 billion in funds that are escheated, or turned over, to DST. The money is awaiting return to the rightful owners after being lost, misdirected or overlooked. It represents 22.1 million properties statewide, and more than 25 million owners are associated with those properties.

The unclaimed property consists of bank accounts, wages, utility deposits, insurance policy proceeds, stocks, bonds and contents of safe deposit boxes that have been abandoned.  

Under state law, NCCash.com is currently safeguarding nearly $1.3 billion in funds that are escheated, or turned over, to DST. The money is awaiting return to the rightful owners after being lost, misdirected or overlooked. It represents 22.1 million properties statewide, and more than 25 million owners are associated with those properties.

For the fiscal year 2023-24 that ended on June 30, UPD paid 145,032 claims totaling $115,063,782. The total payout surpassed the previous record of $108,586,650 set during the 2022-23 fiscal year. Another record was set for receipts in the NCCash program - $330,957,377 in 2023-24, compared to $300,095,512 the previous year.

The unclaimed property consists of bank accounts, wages, utility deposits, insurance policy proceeds, stocks, bonds and contents of safe deposit boxes that have been abandoned.  

Unclaimed property can result from a person or entity forgetting they are due money, or from a move of location and forgetting to provide a new address. It also could result from a typing error in a house number or zip code in an address, a name change, or data loss from a business converting its computer system. As society becomes more mobile and steadily moves to electronic transactions, the risk of having unclaimed property has increased.