Saint Andrew’s erases $2.32 million of medical debt for San Francisco Bay area communities

Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Saratoga, CA, announces the results of an especially successful fundraising campaign to help many neighbors in need of debt relief. Exceeding the original goal of $10,000, the parish raised $15,260 to pay down medical debt worth $2.32 million. The donation first covered all available debt in Santa Clara County, where Saint Andrew’s is located, and then extended to assist others throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. The amount is particularly exceptional when considering that this has been achieved by only one parish, and is on par with what might be raised by an entire diocese.

“I am just beaming right now,” said the Rev. Joel Martinez, Associate Priest, who initiated the effort. “We were able to come together as a community to do tangible good that has a real, meaningful impact on people’s lives,” he said.

After reading the “Building Faith” section in his seminary newsletter last year, Martinez learned about an East Coast Episcopal church that had partnered with an organization called Undue Medical Debt. Started by former debt collection executives in 2014, Undue Medical Debt uses donations to buy and erase financially burdensome medical debt at a steep discount that is incurred by millions of people throughout the United States. Donations are tax deductible for individuals.

Martinez immediately felt inspired to get Saint Andrew’s involved. The parish launched the fundraising campaign after Easter, linking individual Lenten practices with communal practices, and it concluded in June. After all contributions were received, the donation was delivered at the end of July. Recipients of the gifts cannot apply, and are otherwise unaware, only learning their debt has been retired when receiving a letter from Undue Medical Debt, often to their great surprise. Each letter will acknowledge Saint Andrew’s as the gifting entity, so people will find out which group was behind this act of kindness. Letters will be sent in September, roughly six weeks after the donation’s delivery.

This campaign is also in keeping with work Martinez and others from Saint Andrew’s are doing with Justice Vanguard and Change the Story, part of the Changemaker Initiative. These groups look at ways to support societal areas where there are disparities, including health care and its lack of affordability for women and people of color.

“We called it the generosity campaign for a reason,” Martinez reflected. “It’s giving without expecting anything in return. This is a way for us to show God’s love out into the world.”