Diocesan Fundraiser Cancels More than $5 million in Medical Debt
The Episcopal Diocese of Missouri held a press conference Thursday, Nov. 10 at 10 a.m. on the steps of Christ Church Cathedral in St. Louis. Thanks to KSDK, Channel 5, for attending and featuring our story in your newscast!
Episcopal churches in the St. Louis area have raised more than $25,000 that will erase more than $5.5 million worth of medical debt for low-income people throughout our city, county, and state.
This fundraising project began with a 2021 budget surplus in the Episcopal Diocese of Missouri. The Rt. Rev. Deon Johnson, Bishop of Missouri, decided to give each parish in our diocese a $1,000 check and directed them to use the money for outreach in their communities.
The Emery Washington Convocation of the Diocese, which includes 15 parishes in the St. Louis area, decided to partner with R.I.P. Medical Debt, a nonprofit that uses donations to purchase the unpaid medical debt of low-income families for pennies on the dollar.
As our parishes donated their $1,000 checks, others in the community heard about the project and added to the effort. The campaign brought in $25,287.24 in four months.
Medical debt is cited by many researchers as the leading cause of bankruptcy in the United States and one of the leading causes of financial instability for low-income families. The money our convocation raised won’t fix our nation’s broken health care system, but it will bring some relief to families throughout our region.
By pooling our resources and collaborating in shared ministry, our churches are making a tangible difference in peoples’ lives while sending a message to our neighbors that the Gospel of Jesus is about love. And this is what love looks like: it looks like good news to the poor, freedom to the oppressed, and release to the captives – especially those held captive by debt.
Thanks to all the churches who seeded this fund with their $1,000 outreach checks and thanks to everyone else who added to the fund, allowing us to help so many people!
Tags: News / Emery Washington Convocation