Church Partners with Non-Profit to Pay Off $2 Million in Community’s Medical Debts

A church and a non-profit group have made it their goal to pay off a large amount of their community’s medical debts.

“With a partnership with this non-profit, we have eliminated $2.2 million in medical debt in Bloomington, Indiana,” said City Church pastor David Norris.

His wife and fellow pastor, Sumer Norris, said people were “overjoyed” when they were told about the plan to erase their crushing medical debts.

“It’s all part of a partnership where the church puts up an amount less than the $2.2 million in debt along with RIP Medical Debt Relief and the collection agencies accept it,” according to WTHR.

In lieu of a bill, neighbors who are most in need of financial help will receive a letter enclosed in a yellow envelope declaring them debt-free.

“We’re excited about being able to bless families,” the young pastor commented.

The non-profit organization’s website stated that its “mission is to empower donors to forgive the billions in oppressive medical debt at pennies on the dollar.”

The website continued:

RIP Medical Debt locates, buys and forgives medical debt on behalf of individual donors, philanthropists and organizations who step up to provide financial relief for people burdened by unpaid and unpayable medical bills. Debt forgiveness is a collective message of care from and for the communities we serve.

City Church announced the partnership Monday on its Facebook page.

“You may know about our efforts to give furniture, clothing and food to those in need through our Healing Hands Outreach, but we recently partnered with RIP Medical Debt to help purchase 2.2 million dollars in medical debt for Monroe County residents,” the post read.

Efrat Feferman who works for the Monroe County United Way praised the church for its idea to show their neighbors they truly care about them.

“This is what makes a community really what a community should be. Caring for each other, helping each other,” she stated.

The pastor and his wife said they are happy to provide the much-needed relief to those outside their congregation.

“We don’t know who got this, who received the gift. We don’t know who was chosen based on their financial status or where they are at. I just felt like, ‘Man, let’s help someone who needs to be blessed,'” Norris concluded.