Tijuana Flats is clearing more than $1 million in medical debt for more than 1,000 individuals and families in the greater Orlando area—where the Tex-Mex chain is based.
Tijuana Flats, backed by AUA Private Equity, worked with RIP Medical Debt, a national debt-buying nonprofit organization to make a significant donation to eliminate medical debt for individuals and families living in poverty or facing financial hardship.
“Giving back to the communities where we live and work is part of our core mission at Tijuana Flats,” says Brian Wright, chief executive officer. “It’s an honor to be able to serve our hometown in more ways than one.”
AUA Private Equity, who through its investment fund owns a majority stake in Tijuana Flats, put together a cohort of four portfolio companies who each made a significant donation to benefit their hometown markets. Tijuana Flats is directly responsible for forgiving $1,764,146.60 of face-value medical debt for 1,196 individuals and families in Central Florida.
RIP Medical Debt will utilize the donation from Tijuana Flats to buy and forgive medical debt for individuals and families meeting certain qualifications. To qualify, they must earn less than two times the federal poverty level, have financial hardship (out-of-pocket expenses 5% or more of their annual income) or facing insolvency.
