Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Campaign

Dear fellow New Yorker,

Hi, I’m writing to invite you to join our organization in an important and exciting engagement campaign calling for President Biden to deliver on the promise of Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) and provide debt relief for student loan borrowers who have worked 10 years in public service!

In 2007, a promise was made to millions of public service workers: 10 years of working to give back to their communities meant that their student loan debt would be wiped away.

Yet, PSLF has failed these borrowers at every turn. Breakdowns and abuse have caused countless borrowers to be derailed and sunk deeper into debt, with 98% of borrowers applying for forgiveness being rejected. Now, for the first time, the federal government is asking those who were promised relief through PSLF to help decide what comes next. This is the first chance for borrowers affected by the failures of this program to make the case, directly to President Biden and Secretary Cardona, that PSLF is broken and that only sweeping action to deliver debt relief can right a decade of wrongs by ED and the student loan industry.

We encourage your organization to join this effort. Your members’ stories will make a difference and help deliver promised student debt relief for all public service workers. Please use our tweets and social media graphics posted below to encourage member and client participation.

In addition, the Education Debt Consumer Assistance Program (EDCAP) based at the Community Service Society of NY would be happy to coordinate a virtual presentation for your staff, clients and/or members on the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. The presentation is intended for folks pursuing PSLF. They go through the program’s requirements, how to make sure student loan payments count, and what borrowers can do if things go wrong. They also offer one-on-one assistance to student loan borrowers and all of their services are free and unbiased. To coordinate a presentation, please feel free to reach out to the Program Director, Carolina Rodriguez (crodriguez [at] cssny.org; 212-614-5457).

See EDCAPNY’s page on PSLF here >> https://www.edcapny.org/self-help-by-topic/getting-public-service-loan-forgiveness/

Please join us in getting the word out to our fellow borrowers!! Happy to answer any questions you may have!

Sincerely,

Chuck Bell, Programs Director, Consumer Reports
on behalf of
NYRL Student Loan Working Group
(914) 830 0639
cbell [at] consumer.org

PS Please send a blast email to your members/clients/fellow employees!

Sample Direct to Borrower/Membership Note

Subject: Share your PSLF story & demand promised student debt relief!

Body:

Dear [INSERT NAME],

Today, hundreds of thousands of teachers, nurses, frontline workers, and other public service professionals face financial uncertainty. We were promised student loan forgiveness in exchange for years of service to our communities and our country. But after rising to the moment, working on the frontlines through a national pandemic, serving in our classrooms, delivering healthcare, and in some cases risking our lives, we have been denied debt relief and left behind.

Now is the time to tell President Biden and the Department of Education your Public Service Loan Forgiveness story and demand student debt relief.

This week, for the first time ever, the U.S. Department of Education is asking for people like us to share our stories about public service and debt forgiveness. This is our chance to make the case directly to President Biden and Secretary Cardona that Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) is broken and that only sweeping action to deliver debt relief can right a decade of wrongs by the Department and the student loan industry.

PSLF was created to alleviate the burden of student debt for dedicated public service workers. The idea was simple: work in public service for 10 years and have your remaining student debt forgiven. Unfortunately, PSLF has been plagued by problems and abuse at every turn, with 98% of borrowers applying for forgiveness being rejected. Because of the program’s failures, some public service workers may not even know this student debt relief is available to us.

That is why it’s so important for you to tell President Biden your story and demand he deliver on the promise of PSLF.

The Department’s public inquiry into the PSLF program offers renewed hope for public service workers. For the first time, the federal government is asking those of us who depend on the program to help decide what comes next.

Join us today in calling on President Biden to deliver on his promise to public service workers and provide immediate debt relief.

Best,

[INSERT YOUR NAME]

Sample Tweets / Social Posts

New York

Thousands of teachers, nurses & frontline workers in #NewYork have been denied their right to loan forgiveness. Now is the time to share your story & tell @POTUS to make good on the #PSLF promise by counting service & cancelling student debt. https://bit.ly/3Bsb67T

The broken #PSLF program has harmed too many #NewYork public service workers, derailing dreams & leaving them deeper in debt. Now is the time to share your story & tell @POTUS to make good on the promise of #PSLF by counting service & cancelling debt. https://bit.ly/3Bsb67T

#NewYork has 212k public school teachers. Those with #studentloans should be eligible for loan forgiveness after 10 years. So far, 90% of all NY Public Service Loan Forgiveness applicants have been denied. Now is the time for @POTUS to fix #PSLF. https://bit.ly/3Bsb67T

PSLF isn’t working for #NewYorkers, that’s why @NewYorkStateAg sued @MyFedLoan for not helping borrowers get the #PSLF credit they deserve.Tell @POTUS to clean up PSLF & eliminate debt for all eligible borrowers. https://bit.ly/3Bsb67T

Too many NYC teachers like Kelly are waiting for student debt cancellation. @POTUS must keep its promise to Kelly & all eligible #NewYork essential workers by counting their service & cancelling their debts. Share your story: https://bit.ly/3Bsb67T

Too many #NewYork public service workers have spent their careers giving back to their communities, yet have been blocked & derailed from #PSLF at every turn.

Share your story & call on @POTUS to eliminate student debt. https://bit.ly/3Bsb67T

(Recommended Article to Include: https://aftvoices.org/)

Thousands of #NewYork teachers, nurses, & frontline workers were promised student loan forgiveness. These workers have planned their lives around serving our communities & receiving #PSLF. Tell @POTUS to make good on this promise. https://bit.ly/3Bsb67T

Social Media Graphics you can use!!