WYOMING, Mich. (WXYZ) — A western Michigan church announced Sunday that it had wiped out the medical debt of nearly 2,000 families, according to a report by WZZM.
Sam Rijfkogel, pastor of Grand Rapids First, told his congregation that the debt was paid through a donation to the church, and went to 1,899 families in Kent, Ottawa, Allegan and Ionia counties.
"There are people whose medical debt, they cannot pay," WZZM reported the pastor saying. "There is no way. It’s looming over their head."
In total, the debt amounted to $1.8 million. However, the church was able to purchase the debt through "pennies on the dollar" through a nonprofit organization called RIP Medical Debt.
"Today, that $1,832,439.26 that’s looming over families right now has been paid in full as a result of a gift from this church," Rijfkogel said.
