Heading into this 3rd campaign, Richard Propes has abolished $20,261,380.87 in medical debt for 16,984 Hoosiers. Let’s keep going.

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Richard Propes

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Richard Propes is just one man…

Based in Indianapolis, award-winning activist Richard Propes has spent over 35 years of his life working to make the world a safer place for children and families through “The Tenderness Tour.” A paraplegic and double amputee with spina bifida and a recent cancer survivor, Propes has traveled over 6,000 miles in his wheelchair raising funds for non-profits and individual causes worldwide.

Richard hit the age of 60 this year and he’s still wheeling.

In Fall 2024, award-winning writer/filmmaker Andie Redwine and a small film crew decided to follow this complex, driven, and irreverent activist as he set out on his latest mission to raise $1,000,000 to abolish over $100,000,000 in medical debt for Hoosiers.

How can someone who’s never raised over $20,000 in an event ever hope to raise a million bucks?

Keep watching. Better yet, be a part of the team affectionately called the “Tender Messes,” an endearing reference to a long existing tattoo that Richard still bears.

The result of that trip? Richard has now eliminated just over $20 million in medical debt for just under 17,000 Hoosiers.

That film crew? “Just One Man” world premiered at the Oscar-qualifying Heartland International Film Festival and won the Hoodox Indiana Spotlight Award and the Indiana Spotlight Audience Award.

Fun fact: During the film’s world premiere, Richard and the team eliminated over $3.4 million in medical debt DURING the festival. Even more exciting? “Just One Man” is intentionally set up to further support Richard’s mission. Net profits from the film will support the abolishing of medical debt through Richard’s Tenderness Tour.

“Just One Man” features music by Grammy legend John Mellencamp, Grammy-award winning composer Max Lombardo, and Grammy-recognized Carrie Newcomer and The Fruit Bats, Just One Man is executive produced by Thirst Project CEO Seth Maxwell and two-time Emmy winner Mike Manning (The Bay, The Edge of Everything). Cinematography by Emmy-award winning Peter Alton (Science Fair).

Tragically, not long after returning home from that late 2024 Tenderness Tour, Richard’s father entered hospice and soon passed away. Taking time out to companion his father in his final days, Richard’s tour schedule was light in 2025, however, the next long-distance event begins October 10, 2026, with his first ultra-marathon followed by a week on the road including traveling a trail that passes by his parents’ funeral home.

Richard is back and ready to abolish more medical debt for Hoosiers.

100% of what you donate abolishes medical debt for Hoosiers. For every dollar donated, an estimated $100 in medical debt can be eliminated.

Once Richard reaches his goal of $1 million raised for Indiana (and over $100 million in debt abolished), Richard has his eyes set on going national.

BE PART OF THE TENDERNESS TOUR VISION

Richard wants you to be a part of the Tenderness Tour vision.

Richard is looking for opportunities to speak, preach, wheel, and otherwise engage with non-profits, community leaders, churches, schools, hospitals and other organizations to talk about eliminating medical debt, improving access to healthcare and getting involved. Richard does one-day, weekend, and week-long appearances and wheeling events throughout the year and throughout Indiana.

Richard is always looking for road crew, or “roadies,” to provide support during Tenderness Tour events and appearances. From wheelchair repair to personal support to event logistics, your gifts are invited and new ideas are welcome.

Are you a walker/runner/wheeler/biker? Be a “Tenderness Team” participant by starting a fundraising page, logging your distances/events, and helping Richard grow this movement throughout Indiana and beyond.

For more information on the Tenderness Tour, visit The Tenderness Tour – Home.

Watch for the “Just One Man” documentary!

You can reach out to get involved – [email protected]

You can also find Richard on Facebook (@richardpropes), Instagram (@tendernesstour), Threads (@tendernesstour), BlueSky (@richardpropes), LinkedIn (@richardpropes), and Substack (@richardpropes)

Campaign Support Recipients

Indiana

Campaign donations will show on website within 1 business day of gift submission.

How Undue Works

Over a hundred million Americans, one in three, struggles with the weight of medical debt.

Who We Help

Debt Resources

You make a donation
- We use data analytics to pinpoint the debt of those most in need: households that earn less than 4x the federal poverty level (varies by state, family size) or whose debts are 5% or more of annual income.
Undue buys medical debt at a steep discount
- We buy debt in bundles, millions of dollars at a time at a fraction of the original cost. This means your donation relieves about 100x its value in medical debt.
Together we wipe out medical debt
- People across the country receive letters that their debt has been erased. They have no tax consequences or penalties to consider. Just like that, they’re free of medical debt.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my donation tax deductible?

Yes. We are a 501(c)(3) charity and your donation is 100% tax deductible.

Who qualifies for medical debt relief?

We provide debt relief based on financial need. To qualify, an individual must either:

Earn at or below 400% of the federal poverty level
Have medical debt that exceeds 5% of their income

These criteria are built into our system and apply to all debt we purchase. We do not collect or require information about immigration status. We also cannot target relief based on medical condition, age, or other personal characteristics.

We never collect on the debt we purchase, only relieve it.

Do recipients of debt relief have any adverse consequences?

No. With your help, we abolish medical debt permanently. Recipients have no adverse tax consequences, obligations or strings attached.

Medical debt relief is a gift from a detached and disinterested third party (Undue) as an act of generosity, so relief of the debt does not count as income to the debtor. We will not file a Form 1099-C with the IRS.

Can donors see whose debt is relieved by their donation?

Due to HIPAA laws, Undue Medical Debt cannot disclose the names, contact information or any other specific details of the debt relief beneficiaries.

Can I apply for debt relief?

Undue Medical Debt cannot relieve debt by individual request.

While we would love to help everyone who needs assistance, Undue cannot abolish medical debt for specific individuals. We acquire large, bundled portfolios of debt to help thousands of people at once and we can only erase debts that providers like hospitals and physicians are willing to sell to us.

Because medical debt affects so many people who may not have debt accounts in the portfolios we purchase, we have compiled a list of resources that may be able to help.

About Undue

Undue Medical Debt is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit which leverages donations to buy large, bundled medical debts at steep discounts, providing immediate, no strings attached relief to financially vulnerable families. On average one dollar donated erases $100 of medical debt. We also help people with medical debt share their stories, which informs our approach to fixing the healthcare system, whether by policy solutions or collaborating with likeminded partners.

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