Thousands of St. Louis-area families have been freed from a major financial burden thanks to a charitable effort that's increasingly popular among churches and other groups — eliminating medical debt.
Money raised at more than a dozen United Church of Christ congregations and a donation from the St. Louis-based Deaconess Foundation have wiped away nearly $13 million in medical debt for 11,108 families in St. Louis city and county.
The United Church of Christ announced details Saturday.
It's sending letters this weekend to those whose debt was wiped out.