Born Primitive and Black Rifle Coffee Join Forces to Pay Off Up to $35 Million in Medical Debt for Veterans and First Responders
Shoe and apparel company Born Primitive, in partnership with Black Rifle Coffee, has set a lofty goal this Veterans Day weekend: to pay off up to $35 million in medical debt for an estimated 20,000 veterans and first responders.
- Their campaign, Operation Debt of Gratitude (ODG), runs from November 6 through Veterans Day on November 11. During this time, Born Primitive and Black Rifle Coffee will donate 100 percent of their online profits to reach their fundraising goal. This effort is made possible through ForgiveCo, a public benefit corporation that purchases qualifying medical debt and permanently forgives it, bringing each recipient’s balance to $0.
You can also donate directly to the campaign here.
Remind Me
Born Primitive is a grassroots company founded by longtime CrossFit enthusiasts Mallory Riley and Bear Handlon, a former Navy SEAL.
- It all started with a pair of homemade compression shorts his neighbor sewed for Handlon.
He knew he was onto something, and in 2014, Bear and Mallory launched Born Primitive, which now offers training, outdoor, and tactical apparel, casual apparel (including jeans and flannel), and a lineup of shoes.
A History of Giving Back
- Born Primitive started ODG in 2024 and, over the past two years, have eliminated more than $50 million in medical debt for more than 25,000 veterans. This year, in light of America’s 250th anniversary, they have extended the campaign to include first responders.
- Going back further, between 2021 and 2023, they raised close to $500,000 for veterans through online sales on Veterans Day weekend, donating the money to various charities, including The Navy SEAL Foundation, The SEAL Future Foundation, Best Defense Foundation, and Tunnel to Towers.
- Further, in 2020, when gyms were forced to close during the first wave of the pandemic, Born Primitive contributed $186,000 through O2 Hydration’s gym stimulus program.
The Big Picture
For Handlon, Born Primitive’s annual veterans’ campaign is simple: “No matter where or how someone served, their service shouldn’t end in a battle with medical bills here at home.”
Mat Best, co-founder of Black Rifle Coffee, added: “Medical debt is a burden no one should have to carry, especially for those who’ve sacrificed so much in service to others.”
