Help ACC Erase $4 Million of Medical Debt in the East Bay
Inspired by other UCC congregations in Chicago, St. Louis and around the nation, nine UCC churches in the East Bay, including Arlington Community Church, are working together to erase the medical debts of our neighbors in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties.
What is Medical Debt?
Medical debt destroys the financial stability of large segments of America’s most vulnerable communities: the sick, the elderly, the poor, and veterans and is a primary cause of homelessness. It also targets the middle class, driving many families who are barely getting along into poverty. By forgiving this debt we strive to give struggling individuals and their families a fresh start, and prevent new cases of homelessness amongst our neighbors.
How does this work?
Our local campaign will be made possible by an extraordinary non-profit organization called RIP Medical Debt, founded in 2014 by two former debt collections executives. Over the course of decades in the debt-buying industry, they met with thousands of Americans saddled with unpaid and un-payable medical debt and realized they were uniquely qualified to help these people in need. They used their expertise and compassion to create a process to forgive medical debt: they would use donations to buy large bundles of medical debt, and then forgive that debt with no tax consequences to donors or recipients.
The results have been spectacular— over $1 billion in medical debts eradicated so far, providing financial relief for over 520,000 individuals and families. The best part is how cheaply we can buy the debt: for literally one penny on the dollar. Our “stretch” goal as local churches, over the course of Lent, is to raise $44,000 together – which will retire $4.4 million in medical debt in the East Bay. 100% of this money will go to freeing our neighbors in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties from medical debt.
Who is participating?
Nine local UCC congregations are leading this effort, all of whom will come together to worship on Good Friday: FCC Alameda, Arlington Community Church, Berkeley Chinese Community Church, First Church Berkeley, City of Refuge UCC, Mira Vista UCC, First Congregational Church of Oakland, Plymouth UCC, and Sycamore UCC. Every local UCC church is raising their own collection, which we will bring together during Holy Week.
What is our goal?
Again, our collective goal is to raise $44,000 together – which will retire $4.4 million in medical debt in the East Bay. How powerful would it be, if we could announce during our joint Good Friday worship that we have accomplished much of our goal?
How can I contribute?
Here at ACC, we will be giving the entirety of our weekly “loose offering” during Lent to this campaign – that’s six Sundays worth of offerings. So, bring cash or check with the memo line “RIP Medical Debt” to worship each Sunday. We have a large goal to reach, so each week’s contribution matters!
We will also accept individual lead gifts. If you would like to make a lead gift to get our campaign underway (remember: every dollar given forgives $100 of debt!), please email Rev. Nate at revnateklug@gmail.com.