Undue Medical Debt has already erased more than $472 million in medical debt for nearly 275,000 individuals right here in Middle Tennessee. With your gift they hope to provide even more forgiveness, turning small donations into generational relief.
Medical debt is a devastating crisis that silently crushes the lives of millions across the nation. While most people never consider who holds this debt, one organization was founded on a simple, yet revolutionary, vision: to purchase this debt, not to collect, but to abolish it entirely.
This singular focus became the spark for Undue Medical Debt, a nonprofit whose mission, to date, has resulted in the abolition of a staggering $49.6 billion in debilitating medical debt, providing life-changing relief to more than 31.6 million people and giving them a fresh start.
In Tennessee, families are facing severe consequences for their inability to repay their medical debts, often losing their life-savings and homes in the process. A report from The Sycamore Institute found that in 2021, 12% of adults in Tennessee reported having medical debt. Combine that with the 44% of Tennesseans living at or near the poverty line (per the ALICE threshold).
The next step for Middle Tennessee is clear: our community needs assistance, and Undue is ready to step in.
Here’s how it works. Undue buys medical debt for pennies on the dollar and erases those debts completely. $1 in donations can erase as much as $100 in debt for individuals suffering trapped in the medical debt system. There are no applications for applying for relief, instead Undue uses data and income-based qualifications to identify who is burdened most by medical bills, then they take that debt away. Recipients only learn about debt being erased after it is abolished. The relief for families impacted is life-changing.
Now, that same model is bringing hope to Tennessee families, turning Undue’s national momentum into local relief. A recipient from Jackson, Tennessee stated:
“I recently received your letter about a medical bill from 2019 that you paid and forgave on my behalf. I can’t begin to describe the relief and gratitude I felt reading it. That bill came from one of the most stressful times in my life, during an emergency room visit when I thought I was having a heart attack. At the time, I didn’t have insurance, and the debt had lingered in the background for years.
It has been exactly one year since I ended an abusive relationship, and I’m in my healing stage, working to clear the last pieces of financial damage left behind. To have one more burden lifted, without even asking, feels like a sign that I’m truly moving forward. Your kindness and generosity are more than just a financial gift. You gave me a moment of hope and validation during a chapter where I’m rebuilding my life.”
Collectively, the stories shared by Undue’s team provide deep insight into how people ended up with medical debt, the barriers and harms they face, and how relief has positively affected their long-term financial wellbeing and physical health.
Medical debt is both a financial issue and a moral one. No one should lose their home or their health because they sought necessary medical treatment.
It isn’t magic, but it certainly feels like it. $1 becomes $100. $100 becomes $10,000. Undue has already erased $1.3 billion in medical debt for nearly 697,000 Tennesseans. With Undue working to directly relieve the debt of Tennesseans, CFMT is proud to help expand that impact even further by presenting this immediate impact opportunity.
Middle Tennessee Debt Relief Goal: $215m+
- Families Impacted: 103,000+
- Fundraising Goal: $620,000
Statewide Debt Relief Goal: $322m+
- Families Impacted: 160,000+
- Fundraising Goal: $1.09 million
As you consider giving, whether a few dollars or more, CFMT thanks you for helping turn compassion into lasting relief for Middle Tennesseans in need. Together, we can help our neighbors breathe a little easier and build a community where health and financial stability aren’t determined by medical debt.
