Our Homes Matter phone bank to connect homeowners to thousands of unclaimed dollars Thursday

COOK COUNTY (WLS) -- ABC7 Chicago's annual phone bank is set to help Cook County homeowners recover money.

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The "Our Homes Matter" phone bank is done in partnership with Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas.

The treasurer's office has nearly $170 million in property tax refunds and exemptions.

$111 million in overpayments and $54 million in missing exemptions are waiting to be claimed.

ABC7 Chicago ensures that residents rightfully claim their money.

Gilbert Washington and his wife Sally have lived in their Ashburn home for more than 20 years.

Last year, Sally heard about ABC7's phone bank and urged her husband to call.

"She said 'honey it looks like we could be owed some money'," Gilbert said."I was like 'this is not going to be anything. If it is, it's not going to be that much'."

At first, he thought he might get $100, if anything.

He ultimately listened to his wife and called in to the phone bank and learned they were owed $3,900 worth of senior exemptions.

Turns out, Gilbert's wife was right all along. His advice to other men: "listen to your wife."

Pappas said residents can use the money for a vacation, house repairs, or get new home appliances.

"That's a really big deal when we're living in these inflationary times," Pappas said.

All Cook County residents need to do is call and give a name and address.

"If you don't want to call for yourself, be a good citizen and call for your next door neighbor, your mother your father, your aunt your uncle," Pappas said.

The Our Homes Matter phone bank begins Thursday at 11 a.m. to 4:30 pm.

The number is (312) 603-5105.

ABC7 Chicago's last eight phone banks have helped connect our viewers to $31 million.

If you can't reach the phone bank line, you can check to see if you're owed at this link here.