Cincinnati church wipes out $46.5 million in medical debt for 45,000 families
Crossroads Church Pastor Brian Tome made a big announcement Sunday, helping thousands in the tri-state area wipe out $45.6 million in medical debt. (Courtesy of Crossroads Church)
A megachurch in Cincinnati announced Sunday that it is paying off $46.5 million in medical debt for more than 45,000 families.
Crossroads Church partnered with RIP Medical Debt, a medical debt relief nonprofit, to wipe out debts for people in Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and Indiana. They will receive bright yellow envelopes this week letting them know the good news.
"I want to give us an opportunity to multiply our impact," Senior Pastor Brian Tome told his congregation in a Nov. 23 sermon announcing the chance to give. "They'll get a letter that says, 'Congratulations, your debt has been paid because someone loves you and there is a God that has not forgotten about you.'"
On Sunday, the pastor read aloud a message from one of the lucky beneficiaries.
"I received this piece of mail in this bright yellow envelope and started to throw it away," the pastor read. "But when I saw that it said your medical debt has been paid, I thought, 'seriously, wait a minute.' When I read it I got emotional – the person continued – because I have been so needing a break with getting my credit together. I really appreciate the gift."
The church wiped out debt for 41,233 households in Ohio for a total of $42.8 million, 2,974 Kentucky households abolishing $1.9 million in debt, 503 Tennessee households for $1.5 million, and 136 Indiana homes for $200,000, FOX 19 reports.
For every $100 donated to RIP Medical Debt, $10,000 in medical debt is wiped out, according to the New York-based organization.
Crossroads Church's recent deed constitutes the largest amount of medical debt eliminated in the nonprofit's history.