Sunrise Movement SB Aims to Eliminate $500,000 in Medical Debt

Every day millions of Americans struggle to choose between paying medical bills or covering their basic needs. Census data estimates that Americans’ collective medical debt totaled nearly $200 billion in 2019. Further, this burden falls disproportionately across racial, generational, and class lines with Black Americans, middle-aged adults, and low-income individuals suffering the most.

To help redress this issue, the Santa Barbara chapter of the Sunrise Movement — a youth-based climate activism organization — has partnered with the nonprofit RIP Medical Debt and launched a campaign to eliminate debt across California. How it works is simple: Sunrise SB raises money that RIP Medical Debt then uses to buy bundles of medical debt at a discount. This means, on average, every $100 raised will eliminate $10,000 of medical debt for Californians who need it most. With over $6,000 raised to date, Sunrise SB will successfully eliminate upward of $600,000 of debt while still striving for a goal of $1 million.

When asked why an organization focused on climate activism is taking on medical debt, Caroline, a local restoration ecologist and current member explained, “It is well documented that the adverse effects of climate change and environmental degradation disproportionately affect low-income communities. These communities often struggle with medical debt, which only worsens as environmental pollution exacerbates underlying health problems.”

With the new year upon us, Sunrise SB is optimistic it will reach its goal of $10,000 raised. “We know that we live in a community that cares for one another, and we are hopeful that this campaign will raise awareness for a serious issue affecting many of our fellow Californians,” another member expressed. No matter the outcome, Sunrise SB has made it clear that it will continue to fight for a more equitable future.