Over 6,000 families are waking up to a fresh start, because of the help from an Indiana church.

Northview Church announced that it is paying off $7.8 million worth of medical debt for ten central Indiana communities.

The church says their original goal when they began the project in June was to hit $2 million and to help 2,500 families. It first raised $20,000, but other religious organizations got involved and helped them raise much more after they learned what the church was doing. Before long, the donations more than doubled.

In some cases the church said it was able to erase medical bills for entire cities in Indiana.

The church partnered up with RIP Medical Debt to help as well. RIP, which is based in New York, helps families suffering poverty or whose debt amounts to five percent or more than their income. Beneficiaries are informed through the program that their debt is simply wiped out with no strings attached.

Typically, when people are unable to pay off their medical bills, the bills are then transferred to collections agencies and the debt continues to grow. But when RIP Medical Debt steps in, they negotiate with hospitals, doctors, and investors to purchase debt at mere pennies on the dollar.

In a statement, Northview Church said. “The debt is then paid off forever, with no adverse consequences to those who benefit.”

The church also shared that this wasn’t a case of charity in hopes that people would then join the faith. According to church leaders, the majority of the recipients were not connected in any way to Northview.

“This is a great example of churches meeting people’s needs in practical ways as a demonstration of God’s love,” Northview’s Senior Pastor Steve Poe shared.