DeLand church wipes out $7.2 million in medical debt

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{{tncms-inline alignment=”right” content=”<p><strong>One More Child</strong></p> <p>This organization, also known as Florida Baptist Children’s Homes, has a mission to “meet the immediate needs of hurting children and struggling families, while building relationships that demonstrate the love of Christ.”</p> <p>In 2018, OMC assisted more than 249,000 children and other individuals.</p> <p>The funds donated by Stetson Baptist Church are enough to operate three OMC foster homes, each housing five to eight children, for a year.</p> <p><strong>RIP Medical Debt</strong></p> <p>This organization purchases a portfolio of medical debt, and forgives the debts of people who earn less than two times the federal poverty level, where the debts are 5 percent or more of the debtor’s annual income, and when the family’s or person’s debts are greater than their assets.</p> <p>The organization says it has enabled the forgiveness of more than $625 million in medical debt since its founding in 2014.</p> <p>Find out more, donate or apply for help at www.ripmedicaldebt.org.</p> <p><strong>Stetson Baptist Church</strong></p> <p>Stetson Baptist Church, at 1025 W. Minnesota Ave. in DeLand, is a Southern Baptist congregation.</p> <p>Church officials said the congregation’s vision is to be a multigenerational and multicultural family of Christ followers who “reach up to the Savior, reach down to the lost, reach into the truth, and reach out to a friend.”</p> <p>Find out more at www.stetson.church.</p> <p style="text-align: right;"><em>— Information compiled by Barb Shepherd</em></p>” id=”6b9bf6a7-1155-4a0d-80b3-6a59fb85cda7″ style-type=”refer” title=”About the groups involved” type=”relcontent” width=”half”}}

Thanks to donations made at a DeLand church, some 6,500 individuals and families in Central Florida will have their medical debt forgiven.

On the 53rd Sunday of its fiscal year, Stetson Baptist Church raised an astonishing $153,867.19.

Through two nonprofit organizations, the amount is enough to fund three foster homes for a year, and wipe out $7.2 million in medical debt.

“To say that we are surprised is an understatement,” Stetson Baptist Church Senior Pastor Dr. Dan Glenn said, adding, “This is what the love of Christ looks like in a very practical way.”

Stetson Baptist operates on a July 1-June 30 fiscal year, and sets its budget based on 52 Sundays of giving.

When the church realized June 30, 2019, would be an “extra” Sunday, plans were made for a community-giving initiative, and two charities were chosen to support: RIP Medical Debt, and One More Child, also known as Florida Baptist Children’s Homes.

Through RIP Medical Debt, $100 of debt is forgiven for every $1 donated. Stetson Baptist had hoped to raise about $24,000 to wipe out the medical debt of near neighbors, but ended up helping far more people.

“Our goal was to give enough to abolish crippling medical debt in Volusia County, but God showed up through the sacrificial giving of all ages — children up to senior citizens,” Glenn said.

The funds raised will wipe out the debt of low-income RIP clients in Volusia, Lake, Putnam, Marion and Flagler counties.

RIP Medical Debt purchases a portfolio of medical debt and forgives the debts of people who earn less than two times the federal poverty level.

The other half of the money given will be used by One More Child to provide diapers for newborns, food for hungry children, safety for abused and trafficked children, and foster homes for children in crisis, church officials said.

— Reported by Barb Shepherd with assistance from Stetson Baptist Church and Robbie Harper of Blue Ridge Public Relations.