New York, New York- May 29, 2024 – In a one-of-a-kind alliance aimed at alleviating the financial burden of unpaid personal debt owed by America’s veterans, Jerry Ashton, founder of the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation End Veteran Debt (EVD), and Craig Antico, co-founder of ForgiveCo (FGVC), a Public Benefit Corporation, have joined forces to see these debts forgiven – in full.
Antico and Ashton, distinguished former executives in the collections industry, earned acclaim in 2014 for co-founding RIP Medical Debt, one of America's most successful charities. Over the past decade, that charity, now known as Undue Medical Debt, has garnered sufficient donations to eliminate billions of dollars in unpayable medical debt, relieving millions of Americans. Having made their mark on the general population, this renewed alliance signifies their commitment to addressing the unique needs and challenges faced by America's returning heroes and their families.
Bringing different skills to the challenge
From the business sector, Craig Antico and his son, Erik, established ForgiveCo (FGVC) as a public benefit corporation dedicated to erasing consumer debt burdens on behalf of corporate, non-profit, and celebrity clients. By collaborating with brands wishing to support the communities and causes they are aligned with, FGVC transforms debt forgiveness into targeted goodwill programs.
From the military sector, Navy veteran Jerry Ashton launched the 501(c)(3) private foundation End Veteran Debt to fund debt forgiveness campaigns nationally and through veteran and civilian charities and organizations locally. Their aligned missions will provide effective interventions and educational initiatives that will reduce veteran stress however it manifests.
“I’m thrilled to announce our partnership with Jerry and End Veteran Debt,” Crag announced. “We’re committed to supporting each other in our missions and anticipate that ForgiveCo’s experience in veteran debt forgiveness will amplify the impact and awareness of Jerry’s charity. He and I have proven our ability to eliminate debt and give people peace of mind.” Jerry adds. “We’ve done it before. Together, we will do it again. This time for warriors returned to civilian life.”
Revealing and correcting broken systems
“Veterans face a broad spectrum of financial struggles, including levels of housing, utilities, high-interest-rate credit cards, student loans, and predatory debt unknown to most Americans,” Jerry says. “We intend to bring an “Impact Awareness” campaign approach that meets immediate needs and addresses the systemic issues causing them. Leveraging our expertise to build veteran coalitions will yield substantial and enduring benefits for veterans and their civilian counterparts.”
How this will work
EVD and FGVC together will:
· Locate and identify large portfolios of veteran debt (FGVC)
· Secure donations to fund the purchase of this debt (EVD)
· Remove the derogatory collection mark from the veteran’s credit report associated with that debt (FGVC)
· Send letters to each relieved veteran informing them that this debt is expunged (FGVC)
· Work with major campaign donors to advocate policy changes to address and correct system issues that lead to debt (EVD)
How you can help
· Donate: support EVD’s mission of holistic debt relief and suicide abatement and its work with charities and organizations to provide local and ongoing help and education. Please visit endveterandebt.org
· Volunteer: be the bridge between veterans and resources through EVD’s partner charities. They need and could benefit from your help.
· Advocate: raise your voice for policy changes to prioritize veterans’ social/mental health and financial well-being.
About End Veteran Debt
End Veteran Debt is a 501(c)(3) private charitable foundation dedicated to raising awareness of this little-known but destructive burden on America’s returned warriors to bring about a more humane array of solutions and abolish unpayable debt to allow veterans to focus on their health and well-being as they accommodate themselves to civilian life. Visit https://EndVeteranDebt.org to learn more.
About ForgiveCo
ForgiveCo is a Public Benefit Corporation that provides business advisory services to corporations, non-profits, and brands for the acquisition, administration, and cancellation of consumer debt, and advisory services in the fields of branding, goodwill creation, and bulk debt management – Transforming debt into goodwill. ™ To learn more about ForgiveCo, please visit forgiveco.com and follow ForgiveCo on all major social media channels.