End Veteran Debt and ForgiveCo Unite to Wipe Out Millions in Veteran Debt
Jerry Ashton and Craig Antico through RIP END MEDICAL DEBT wiped out $12B in medical debt for 7.8M Americans. Now they are doing the same with END VETERAN DEBT . Money isn’t the root of all evil, debt is. Vets are now committing suicide at a rate of 40 daily. EVD should be considered a national imperative to stop this staggering statistic.
On June 6, 2024, the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Europe, a compelling national campaign called Operation Debt-Day was launched. Its aim is to raise public awareness of the vastly different world today’s veterans face upon returning home.
A Growing Challenge for Returning Heroes
There are roughly 18 million veterans in America today, constituting less than 6% of the population. The post-9/11 veteran population is a mere 1%. Yet these brave individuals experience homelessness, PTSD, and suicide rates that consistently outpace those of the average citizen. Their transition to civilian life presents unique challenges: job and food insecurity, strained marriages, drug abuse, isolation, vulnerability to financial scams targeting their community, and burdensome debt.
The Debt Burden: A Pressing Issue
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) found in 2020 that veterans struggle with debt at a higher rate than civilians. Medical debt is a particularly concerning burden, with the VA denying over $2 billion in veterans’ emergency medical claims each year. Among veteran families, 38.4% of respondents reported they have less than $500 in an emergency savings fund, or no funds at all.
Operation Debt-Day: A Force for Change
Spearheaded by the 501(c)(3) charitable private foundation End Veteran Debt in partnershipwith the public benefit corporation ForgiveCo, and manned by a force of veterans, civilian volunteers, charities, and businesses, Operation Debt-Day aims to abolish an incredible $80 million in unpaid and unpayable veteran debt – symbolically, $1M for each of the 80 years that have passed since the Normandy landings.
Experienced Leadership for a Worthy Cause
Jerry Ashton, founder of End Veteran Debt, and Craig Antico, co-founder of ForgiveCo, bring a wealth of experience from the collections industry to this task. Their remarkable success in co-founding RIP Medical Debt (now Undue Medical Debt), a 501(c)(3) that has relieved $12 billion in medical debt for nearly eight million Americans over the past decade, is a testament to their expertise and dedication.
A Straightforward Solution with Lasting Impact
The duo will employ a clear and direct approach to debt abolition through their partnership. For every $30,000 raised by End Veteran Debt, ForgiveCo will eradicate $1 million in veteran debt. Each recipient of this life-changing act will receive a letter detailing the debt amount abolished, account numbers, and a reassurance that the debt will never be collected again.
Additional Information
- https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/4718950-veteran-debt-jerry-ashton/
- The Hill
- The Guardian
- Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting
- CBS Sunday Morning
- How RIP Medical Debt Helped John Oliver Erase $600 Million In Debts
Press Contact
End Veteran Debt – Ilene Proctor ilenepr@sbcglobal.net
