LANSING, Mich. — One Dewitt Church is taking the title "good Samaritan" to a whole new level.
Northpointe Community Church is paying off millions of dollars of medical debt for families right here in mid-Michigan.
Instead of receiving phone calls from collection agencies demanding money, this December, local families will be receiving a letter in the mail saying their medical bills have been paid for, all thanks to Northpointe Church.
"It's a weight off my shoulders," Shelly Konen said.
Konen is a member at Northpointe, but also a mother of three who has racked up a medical debt over the years.
'We had collects call, so it's pretty amazing that our church will be paying all of it off," Konen said.
The Konens are one of 3,800 families spanning across Clinton County, Grand Ledge, and the 48906 zip code, whose medical debts will all be paid for.
"Emotionally it's difficult for people, it impacts every aspect of their life, and to be able to relieve that is such an incredible thing and we are excited to be apart of it," Pastor Rick Ruble said.
Northpointe is paying off a total of $3.8 million of medical expenses to cover everyone, church member or non-member, who qualifies.
"I think for many of the families, it will be a complete surprise and they won't know what to do with that, and that's part of the of it," Ruble said.
By working with the organization, RIP Medial Debt, the church was able to purchase every $200 of debt for just $1.
"We aren't a church that has $3.8 million in the bank, so for a little less than $18,000, we were able to cover the debt," Ruble said.
The $18,000 raised was from both the congregation and the church reserve.
"We were able to do that because quarterly, as a church, we take up an offering for benevolence to just help people in the area," Ruble said.
This December, qualifying families will be getting a letter saying their debt has been paid for by the church.
Pastor Ruble hopes by taking care of these financial burdens, lives of these mid-Michigan families can be truly changed forever.
"It will make them think about God, it will make them think about forgiveness and it will make them think about how it will they can pay it forward even at some point in time," Ruble said.
Northpointe plans to replenish their benevolence funds quarterly so they can continue to help families financially throughout the area.
The church hopes other churches can join in on their efforts with RIP Medical Debt to pay off more medical bills in the Lansing area.
People who qualify for debt forgiveness through RIP's program earn less than two times the federal poverty level, are in financial hardship, or face insolvency.
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