HAMPTON, Va. — A local nonprofit has recovered $44,500 in unclaimed property from the Virginia Department of Treasury, far more than they originally expected.
Previous coverage: Do you have unclaimed money or property in Virginia? Here's how to find out
The Patient Advocate Foundation, based in Hampton, originally thought they had about $25,000 in unclaimed property when WTKR interviewed them in April.
"It seemed too good to be true at first," said Alan Balch, the CEO of the Patient Advocate Foundation. "We provide direct assistance to hundreds of thousands of patients across the country in the form of financial support, so we were delighted to learn about the money that was owed to us."
Patient Advocate Foundation is a national nonprofit organization that provides professional case management services to Americans with chronic, life-threatening and debilitating illnesses, according to their website.
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The discovery of the unclaimed funds came after Balch was alerted through email by watchdog Ron Lizzi, who has worked with WTKR on its investigations into unclaimed property in Virginia.
Balch said he was surprised and embarrassed he didn’t think to search for his nonprofit. He said he was aware of unclaimed property after searching personally, but didn’t realize businesses and other agencies could also have unclaimed money.
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The WTKR News 3 investigation into unclaimed property has also led to political action, with a new state law making it easier for individuals to reclaim money owed to them. However, businesses, cities, and nonprofits like the Patient Advocate Foundation still must file claims online to recover their unclaimed funds.
"That is an important first step," Lizzi said. "I hope it results in tens of millions of dollars being automatically returned to Virginians, but more reform is needed. For example, automatic payments should also go to businesses, nonprofits, and local governments—not just people."
Balch expressed gratitude for the WTKR investigation and Lizzi's outreach, saying the experience was "really good overall," and the recovered funds will be used to help patients access life-saving treatments and medications.
Here is a link if you are interested in search for your unclaimed property in Virginia.
