Raleigh-Durham/ Politics & Govt
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Published on October 24, 2024
North Carolina State Fair Turns Profitable for Triangle Literacy Council with $10K Unclaimed Funds FindSource: North Carolina Department of State Treasurer

At the hustle and bustle of the North Carolina State Fair, an unexpected financial windfall came not in the form of a carnival game prize but from the Department of State Treasurer's (DST) Unclaimed Property Division (UPD). The Cary-based Triangle Literacy Council was presented with a check for $10,247.74, funds that had been lying in wait, unclaimed, as discovered by the diligent staffers poring over NCCash.com data. According to a release from the North Carolina Treasurer's office, State Treasurer Dale R. Folwell emphasized the personal touch of the fair's atmosphere and the joy in returning money to rightful owners.

The trajectory of people's lives can hinge on skills that many take for granted. The ability to read and write, fundamental yet profound, is the kind of literacy that opens doors and creates opportunities for employment, self-respect, and the simple pleasure of sharing a story with a child. "The Triangle Literacy Council symbolizes what is best about North Carolina. Its staff and volunteers expend boundless energy and thousands of hours every year helping their non-reading neighbors achieve a level of functional literacy and beyond," Folwell stated, as per the press release on the North Carolina Treasurer's office. The work of the council is multi-faceted, serving both English and non-English speakers through structured programming and personalized tutoring.

Lisa Rowe, president and CEO of the Triangle Literacy Council, articulated the significance of this unexpected fund to the organization. "We were ecstatic when the State Treasurer’s Office reached out to us about the unclaimed property," Rowe told the press on the North Carolina Department of State Treasurer. "As a nonprofit, we rely on donations and grants to support our operations, and the amount of money from the UPD is significant for us." She outlined how such funds are instrumental in sustaining the group's core services, which extend across age groups and demographics within the Triangle area.

In what might seem like an unlikely setting for financial transactions, the UPD staff found a captive audience at the State Fair, nestled amongst the candy apple and cotton candy stalls. As mentioned on the North Carolina Department of State Treasurer website, Treasurer Folwell observed, "The State Fair is a perfect time to grab a candy apple, cotton candy and possibly some unexpected cash." The Kerr Scott Building became a beacon for those seeking to reclaim what was rightfully theirs—by Oct. 22, 240 claims were processed, totaling $149,595.63, with staff ready to assist fair-goers with potential claims. NCCash.com, a quiet custodian of nearly $1.3 billion in unclaimed funds, reflects stories of people and entities who have moved, mistyped, forgotten, or overlooked their assets in the ever-shifting sands of personal details and electronic transactions.