09/15/2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Custer County Democrats Renew Call for Donations to Relieve Local Medical Debt
Custer, SD — 9/14/26 — The Custer County Democratic Party is renewing its call on the community to help relieve medical debt for local families, building on the initiative it launched earlier this summer as part of the national Dems Work campaign.
You shouldn't go into debt for getting sick. But here in Custer County, that outcome is still far too familiar, and the local party says it needs the community's help to do something about it.
"We have had generous donations and have already met our soft goal of $50,000 of medical debt forgiven in South Dakota," said Jace Woodward, Chair of the Custer County Democratic Party. "We thank all those who have already donated, but there is still more work to do."
Here's how it works: the Custer County Democratic Party raises funds locally, Contest Every Race and a nonprofit partner uses the pooled funds to purchase and forgive qualifying medical debt anonymously for families across South Dakota — often for pennies on the dollar.
"Contest Every Race has given us an opportunity we couldn't have on our own. This debt forgiveness is possibly the most effective aid we could give to our neighbors. I hope everyone will consider a donation before the project ends September 30th ," said Jace Woodward.
Every dollar donated goes further than it sounds: because debt is purchased in bulk and matched, a modest local contribution can wipe out a much larger amount of medical debt for families across the state.
Donate: https://bit.ly/CCDebtRelief Share your story: https://dems.work/tell-my-story
Dems Work is a program of Contest Every Race, a national initiative supporting nearly 400 local Democratic Party organizations across 40 states with funding and infrastructure to organize year-round in their communities. By giving county teams a meaningful project rooted in direct service, this program strengthens local relationships, builds trust, and deepens connections to the communities Democrats serve. Learn more: https://dems.work.
Media Contact: Jace Woodward Custer County Democratic Party [email protected]
Show your support with a contribution.
