For Immediate Release – 6/24/2020
Desperation Church Eliminates 2.87 Million in Medical Debt for 2,000 Alabama Families.
- Desperation Church partnered with the non-profit organization RIP Medical Debt to purchase and forgive $2,873,390.75 of unpaid medical bills for 2,009 Alabama families. The partnership began after learning medical debt is the leading cause of consumer bankruptcy in the United States. Medical debt has destroyed the financial stability of our most vulnerable Americans including: the sick, the elderly, the poor as well as our veterans. Desperation Church meets in locations in Blount, Cullman, Marshall, and Walker Counties and has a heart to serve the community in practical ways. Initially our goal was to eliminate medical debt for those identified by RIP Medical Debt as meeting criteria for financial hardship in the counties we serve. The generous hearts of Desperation Church donors enabled expansion to neighboring counties and then to other locations across Alabama.
- Credit scores are damaged when a person is unable to pay medical bills. Damaged credit scores have a trickle effect on getting an apartment, a job, a loan and lower interest rates. These negative effects will begin to change in the next few weeks for over 2,000 recipients when they receive notification that their debt has been acquired and eliminated thanks to the generosity of Desperation Church.
- Desperation Church is led by Pastor Andy Heis and has multiple central Alabama locations. Over the past 10 years, the church grew from one location in Cullman to four locations including Arab, Hayden, Jasper as well as a worldwide online audience. For more information, visit www.desperationchurch.tv.