It’s Sunday at Forest Hill Church, Presbyterian in Cleveland Heights, and service is just beginning.

Natasha Lovelace sits in the midst of the congregation at the end of a pew. She sings along to hymns, recites prayers, and she even brought cookies to share after service.

It’s a small show of gratitude for all she owes the church, Lovelace said.

"I'm just blessed that I was chosen to be a part of it," Lovelace said, referring to an award from the church’s Racial Repair and Restoration Taskforce to pay off $65,000 of her student loans.

"I ignored my loans; that's not okay," she said. "That's not a healthy way to address your finances, but unfortunately, I think it becomes like a fear. "

Student loan debt takes an average of 20 years to pay back. Data shows more than 40 million people i

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