Church eliminates $6.2M worth of medical debt in Indiana

CORYDON, Ind. (WAVE) - A Corydon church is helping its community through a random act of kindness with a multi-million dollar price tag.

First Capitol Christian Church has purchased $6.2 million worth of medical debt across four southern Indiana counties.

Those who attend church initially aimed to raise $28,000. They started less than two months ago.

Teaming up with a group called RIP Medical Debt, that cash would be used to eliminate $2.8 million worth of bills in Harrison County.

Church leaders said members hosted lemonade stands, sent in spare change and helped out however they could.

Many placed what they had to give in an envelope with a prayer written on it.

"Some of those prayers are the most precious things you could ever hope to read," Randy Kirk, the Senior Pastor at FCCC, said.

The money’s still coming in, but the church said its members have now gathered more than $70,000.

Partnering with the RIP program, Kirk said the church has purchased $6.2 million in medical debt.

The initial aim was solely to help people in Harrison County, but after exceeding expectations, some people in Crawford, Washington and Perry counties will also benefit.

“How can you better serve other people than to take this smothering debt off their plate and give them a chance to get on with their life?” Kirk said.

Stories of medical debt from within the church’s own congregation motivated members to give.

First Capital Christian Church doesn’t pick whose debt will be bought. That’s figured out by the non-profit it partnered with which buys bundled debt using a particular criteria.

Selected community members in the four Indiana counties chosen will be notified by mail in as soon as six weeks.

Church leaders said the group RIP Medical Debt was started by two men who used to work at a collection agency.