Two veteran-founded brands went all-in this Veterans Day weekend, pledging 100% of their online profits to erase up to $25 million in medical debt for more than 10,000 U.S. veterans. The Nov. 7–11 push taps debt-relief firm ForgiveCo to purchase qualifying accounts and cancel balances, with beneficiaries receiving automatic notices. Company leaders framed the drive as a scaled-up sequel to last year’s effort and said some funds were pre-allocated so relief could begin immediately.
As detailed by PR Newswire, Born Primitive and Black Rifle Coffee Company committed 100% of profits from online sales during the campaign window, setting a ceiling of up to $25 million to be converted into debt relief for over 10,000 veterans. The release notes that ForgiveCo will identify, acquire, and cancel qualifying medical accounts and that the initiative builds on Born Primitive’s 2024 Veterans Day campaign, which cleared millions in bills. Spokespeople emphasized the veteran leadership at both brands and the aim to make relief automatic rather than application-based.
Fox San Antonio reported the companies banked roughly $5 million earlier in 2025 so some relief could start right away. The outlet highlighted recipients, including an Army veteran in Virginia with nearly $12,000 cleared and a Gold Star spouse in Denver with about $341,000 forgiven. Born Primitive CEO Bear Handlon told the station he’s “optimistic” the $25 million target can be reached and said he’s hoping for a final-day surge. The article also notes that founders have hand-delivered relief letters to document the impact.
Born Primitive’s campaign page outlines how customers could take part: purchases on either brand’s site during the window were earmarked to fund debt buys. It also states the company erased $11 million in veteran medical bills during its 2024 drive, that donors receive receipts, and that ForgiveCo handles the back-end work of buying accounts and issuing cancellation letters. The pitch is simple: turn routine shopping into immediate relief for veterans.
How ForgiveCo Cancels Debt
ForgiveCo’s model buys pools of medical debt on the secondary market at steep discounts and then eliminates the balances instead of collecting them, a process described in past company materials. That “pennies on the dollar” approach has powered previous high-profile partnerships to scale relief for targeted groups. For the Born Primitive–Black Rifle effort, ForgiveCo is applying the same playbook to veterans identified as eligible for relief.
What veterans should know
No applications are required. The brands and ForgiveCo say recipients are pre-selected and will be notified by mail if their balances are wiped. Born Primitive’s campaign page reiterates the relief is automatic: after accounts are purchased and canceled, selected veterans receive cancellation letters. Veterans who think they might be included can contact customer-service channels for verification, though the companies stress that notices are sent proactively.
Why this matters locally
Black Rifle Coffee Company lists offices and facilities in several U.S. markets, including a presence in San Antonio, which helps explain the local coverage. SEC filings for Black Rifle note operations in Salt Lake City, Manchester, Tennessee, and San Antonio, Texas. Born Primitive is based in Virginia Beach. Put together, a national e-commerce push and a San Antonio footprint can translate a long weekend of sales into measurable debt relief for veterans around the country.
Handlon told Fox San Antonio he “cannot look away now” from the scope of need and said the brand's hope to have significant debt cleared by Christmas. For veterans and customers, company officials say the campaign is a reminder that retail spending can be pointed straight at financial relief—no donation drives or paperwork required.
