Through part of an Easter message to the community, Higher Vision Church in Valencia is working to help families struggling with medical debt through its Easter services, which began Thursday and will go on into Sunday.
Higher Vision collaborated with RIP Medical Debt, a nonprofit organization that emphasizes on tackling Americans’ medical debt. The collective goal is to raise $1 million to help 600 people in 13 cities across Southern California, as well as helping veterans across the country.
“It was a very quick conversation we had,” said communications director Sarie Hooker. “Our church has gone through a lot of unprecedented medical issues.”
Upon starting an outreach effort, the church connected with RIP Medical Debt and decided to expand their Easter services beyond worship and an Easter egg hunt, though both will be included.
“The nonprofit accomplishes this by buying large portfolios of debt from medical providers and debt sellers on the debt market (for pennies on the dollar) on behalf of qualifying individuals and families, and forgiving it,” read a press release from Higher Vision Church issued on April 1.
Higher Vision Church’s goal in partnering with RIP Medical Debt is to “commit resources to achieve $200 of medical debt abolished per person simply by your attendance,” according to a video on the church’s website. So far, the church has committed $751,800 in resources to end people’s medical debt, Hooker said.
“At the end of the day, we’re excited for where these funds are going toward,” Hooker said. “Just the fact that you’re providing that kind of joy, it’s really awesome to be a part of.”
The organization has abolished $673 million and counting in medical debt, according RIP Medical Debt’s website.
For more information on Higher Vision Church’s services and times, go to highervision.church/forgiven.
