Over the span of Easter weekend, Higher Vision Church and RIP Medical Debt went beyond their goal to collect $1 million to abolish people’s medical debt.
The goal for the church over the weekend was to achieve $200 per person based on the attendance of those at any of the eight Easter services. The church committed resources that went to RIP Medical Debt’s campaign, with the goal in mind to reach at least $1 million.
Altogether, 8,000 people attended from April 18 to 21, which resulted in raising a total of $1,601,800.
“As a church, we’re called to love,” said Sarie Hooker, Higher Church communications director, following the April 19 services. “Something that will cost you nothing but it will help someone else’s cost.”
The funds raised will go toward locating, buying and forgiving medical debt owed by 600 individuals living in 13 different cities across Southern California. A second fundraising campaign was subsequently launched, this time geared toward abolishing medical debt for veterans across the United States.
Once RIP Medical Debt comes to the aid of an individual in the midst of their own medical debt, the debt is removed from that person’s credit report, where it can no longer be collected. The individual is not taxed on the financial assistance they receive from RIP Medical Debt.
Since 2014, RIP Medical Debt has seen about $676 million in medical debt abolished on behalf of 200,000 Americans across the country.
To contribute to RIP Medical Debt’s campaign, go to ripmedicaldebt.org.
