AUSTIN (KXAN) — Eli Cooper Yorio began volunteering at mobile food pantries as a freshman at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School. It was then that he learned something surprising: medical debt was one of the biggest barriers keeping families from putting food on the table.
What sparked the idea
“I was very surprised by that,” Yorio said. “As someone who wants to be a medical professional in the future, I took it upon myself to try and find a way I could help with the problem.”
That moment sparked an idea for Yorio, “26 for 26,” a campaign he decided to launch in 2022, his first year of high school. His goal was to eliminate $2.6 million in medical debt in Travis County by the time he graduates in May of 2026.
How it works
He first started by partnering with Undue Medical Debt, a nonprofit that buys portfolios of unpaid medical bills for pennies on the dollar and uses donations to erase them completely. On average, $1 donated can wipe out $100 in debt, according to Yorio.
“Undo uses those donations to go buy up debt from hospitals or from a debt collector,” he said. “Hospitals and debt collectors are kind of eager to get rid of that debt, so theyre willing to sell it for really cheap.”
Yorio has raised more than 260,000 through outreach, charity golf tournaments and even a grant. He said the money he has raised has erased $4.75 million in medical debt for 3,835 people in Travis County, nearly doubling his original goal.
“I want to kind of reach the $5 million mark by the time I graduate,” he said. “I also want to raise awareness for what Undo is and what it can do.”
Balancing schools and advocacy
Yorio has met with local and state officials, including the governor’s office and the Austin city council, to advocate for partnerships that could help push his efforts statewide and someday nationwide.
“It was definitely scary because I didn’t know if my message would be received,” he said. “I think it’s important to plant those seeds.”
For Yorio, balancing school and fundraising efforts has not been easy. “It’s super time-consuming,” Yorio said. He mentioned one of the toughest parts of it all is actually getting people to respond or start a conversation with him. “Honestly, getting people to respond sometimes, because they probably think it’s a scam or wonder who this kid is reaching out to them,” Yorio said.
But Yorio believes the payoff has been worth it. “It feels really fulfilling,” he said. “And I think it just inspires me to do more and more, because I’ve realized what I can do, even at a young age.”
Yorio hopes that one day his 26 for 26 campaign could expand nationwide and even hit new goals year after year. “I think it’s certainly possible to go to Texas and nationwide,” he said. “Undo has campaigns all throughout the nation.”
For now, he’s focused on finishing strong before graduation. “Once we get someone in Austin or Texas to put money toward this campaign on a more long-term basis, that would make me feel like I succeeded,” he said.
How to help
Anyone interested in donating to Yorio’s campaign can do so at anytime by visiting the Undue website.
Yorio will also be hosting a fundraiser at the end of the year; those interested in supporting the “26 for 26” campaign may stop by Cobo Bob’s off Rio Grande Street on Tuesday, Dec. 30, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Simply show the flier below at checkout to contribute.
“Everyone in Austin is caring for each other and we’re looking out for them,” he said. “I hope they know that.”