Something didn’t sit right with the congregation of Okemos Community Church after they spent $1.6 million for much-needed renovations to their nearly 185-year-old building.
“We really needed to have structural and accessibility and asbestos abatement and a number of issues done,” said the Rev. Rick Blunt, a United Methodist and senior pastor of the interdenominational Okemos, Michigan, church. “It’s just that it is not in the DNA of this congregation to spend money on itself.”
As a counterbalance, Blunt made a goal of forgiving $1.6 million in medical debt in their community through RIP Medical Debt, a nonprofit based in Long Island, New York.
By raising $15,000 during their campaign, Okemos retired more than $2.2 million in long-term medical debt for Michigan families making less than $55,000 for a family of four or whose medical debt is greater than 5% of household income.
RIP Medical Debt helped Okemos accomplish this feat by buying up medical debts from collection agencies, hospitals and physician groups in large, bundled portfolios for pennies on the dollar.
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Source: Roys Report
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