Nearly $1 million in unclaimed property will be mailed to residents in Mississippi counties affected by a tornado outbreak earlier this month, the state treasurer’s office announced Friday.
State Treasurer David McRae said the funds are being sent to residents in Franklin, Forrest, Jefferson Davis, Lamar, Lawrence, Lincoln, Marion, and Wilkinson counties. Typically, residents must search the treasury’s website to find unclaimed property and request a check if funds are owed to them.
McRae stated, “I was devastated to hear about recent storms that hit and uprooted countless families. My team and I did what we could to help. We conducted a pro-active Money Math to storm-impacted areas to reunite those citizens with their missing funds. This money will hit mailboxes of the neighbors who are going through a difficult time.”
Unclaimed property includes cash, stocks, or other financial assets that owners have lost track of. When financial institutions cannot locate the rightful owner for at least five years, the funds are turned over to the state treasury for safekeeping under Mississippi law.
McRae emphasized that these funds do not replace state or federal disaster assistance, which may still be available. Gov. Tate Reeves recently asked the White House for federal aid for both individuals and public entities affected by the storms.
On May 6 and 7, eight tornadoes touched down in southern Mississippi. The strongest was an EF-3 tornado, more than a mile wide and on the ground for about 70 miles from Wilkinson County to Lawrence County. The outbreak injured 27 people and damaged or destroyed more than 425 homes and businesses.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
