VALUE=<<PERSON
some data
PERSON

echo "$VALUE"

VALUE= <<PERSON
some data
PERSON

<<PERSON
some data
PERSON

<somefile

VALUE=$(cat <<PERSON
some data
PERSON
)

python -m json.tool <<END_JSON
JSON data here
END_JSON

$ VALUE=<<PERSON
> {
>   "type": "account",
>   "customer_id": "1234",
>   "customer_email": "jim@gmail.com",
> }
> PERSON
$ echo "$VALUE"

$

$ read -d '' -r VALUE <<PERSON
{
  "type": "account",
  "customer_id": "1234",
  "customer_email": "jim@gmail.com",
}
PERSON

VALUE=$(cat <<EOF
{
  "type": "account",
  "customer_id": "1234",
  "customer_email": "jim@gmail.com",
}
EOF
)

VALUE='{
  "type": "account",
  "customer_id": "1234",
  "customer_email": "jim@gmail.com",
}'

python -m json.tool<<PERSON
{
  "type": "account",
  "customer_id": "1234",
  "customer_email": "jim@gmail.com",
}
PERSON