Atlanta Church Partners with Nonprofit to Eliminate $1.5 Million in Medical Debt for Families

Families across metro Atlanta are receiving a much-needed financial reprieve as a local church partners with a national nonprofit to eliminate $1.5 million in medical debt. Spirit and Truth Church in south Atlanta has joined forces with Undue Medical Debt, a nonprofit organization dedicated to alleviating the financial burden of medical debt for low-income individuals.

The church’s initiative was announced from the pulpit, highlighting its commitment to addressing a pressing issue. Pastor Mark Moore Jr. emphasized the severity of medical debt as a leading cause of bankruptcy in the United States. This initiative comes at a crucial time, with healthcare coverage changes and anticipated premium increases looming on the horizon. “Oftentimes in seasons of crisis, the crisis becomes, ‘Where is the church? What is the church doing?’ So we wanted to really answer that question here at the holiday season and let people know the church is right here,” Moore explained.

Spirit and Truth Church’s donation to Undue Medical Debt allows the nonprofit to purchase debt on the secondary market at a significant discount. Allison Sesso, president and CEO of Undue Medical Debt, highlighted the dire financial situations many families face. “Families are straddled with these debts that they just can’t pay,” Sesso said. “Families across the country, a high percentage, only have $500 in savings or less. So the math just isn’t there for families to be able to put that much out of pocket towards medical debt.”

The church’s contribution is particularly impactful because it enables Undue Medical Debt to buy debt at a fraction of its value, effectively relieving families of substantial financial burdens. “We take donated dollars and we bring it to the for-profit debt market. We buy debt just like a for-profit debt-buyer would do,” Sesso explained. “It’s pennies on the dollar. One dollar relieves as much as $100 or more of medical debt.”

Georgia’s ranking among the top five states for medical debt underscores the urgency of this initiative. Recent data from KFF indicates that while 8.3% of adults nationwide carry medical debt, in Georgia, that figure rises to 12.7%. Sesso warned that the situation is worsening, exacerbated by policy changes that could increase the number of uninsured individuals in the state. “The One Big Beautiful Bill made some significant changes to healthcare contributions in terms of Medicaid for states. We expect there to be a large number of individuals that lose their care,” Sesso noted.

This initiative reflects the biblical principle of caring for one’s neighbor, as exemplified in Matthew 25:35, which calls for feeding the hungry and clothing the naked. By addressing the pressing issue of medical debt, Spirit and Truth Church is embodying the spirit of neighbor-love and mercy, providing tangible relief to those in need.

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