MEDFORD, Ore.– Paying off your debt. It may seem like a dream for those swamped with thousands of dollars in medical bills. But earlier this month, that dream became a reality for Oregonians across the state thanks to the help of a local church.
The New Life Church of the Nazarene in Medford says their congregation is committed to helping improve their community. As part of its annual fundraiser from the Christmas season to Easter, the church’s congregation decided this year it would help erase all the medical debt of as many people it could. It succeeded in helping over 1,200 Oregonians.
Altogether the congregation raised $30,000 and donated to RIP Medical Debt, a charity that buys medical debt that is usually insurmountable for an individual or family without any charge to the recipient of the gift. For every $1 donation, RIP Medical Debt matches that with $100.
The charity’s website says debt forgiveness usually applies to those earning less than twice the federal poverty level, debts that are 5 percent or more than their annual income or debts that are greater than their assets.
According to the church, Pastor Dale Schaeffer came across the charity after seeing it on an episode of “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” where the host helped pay off $15 million in Texas.
Once the two were partnered together, the $30,000 that was raised turned into a whopping $3 million. The church then asked that $2 million of it be spread to people in need across Oregon and $1 million go to veterans across the U.S. – that donation is still pending according to a church spokesperson.
“We know that medical debt can be a crippling issue for families that really prevents them being able to live life the way that God has called us to,” said Dana Franchetti, pastor of local and global missions for the church. “We want to come alongside people and remove as many barriers and as many burdens as we possibly can.”
At least one person from 32 of Oregon’s 36 counties had their medical debt entirely erased. In Jackson County, 89 individuals with a total debt of $209,082 erased. Across the southern Oregon region of Jackson, Josephine, Douglas, and Klamath counties, 318 people with a total debt of $639,505 were paid off.
Each one was notified by mail that the church and the charity helped them remove the debt.
Because of this act of charity, NBC5 News would like to hear from those residents who received one of these gifts. If you are interested in sharing, please feel free to reach out on our Facebook page or email at [email protected] and tell us your story.
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