Deaths from COVID and FEMA Support

For more than two years, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought an overwhelming amount of grief to millions of people worldwide. If you or someone or someone you know has been battling this deadly virus, circumstances always seem bleak and hopeless. Not only are you worried about their health and wellbeing, but countless people have also asked themselves, "How are we going to afford to pay for all of this medical care?"

It's a painful question that shouldn't have to be asked during this difficult time. Fortunately, organizations like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) help people before, during, and after disasters. They are dedicated, especially during this unprecedented pandemic, to helping ease some of the financial stress and burden caused by this virus.

 

According to FEMA, under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, FEMA provides financial assistance for COVID-19 related funeral expenses incurred on or after January 20, 2020. National Public Radio (NPR) details how as of December 6, 2021, about $226,000 people had shared in the nearly $1.5 billion that FEMA has spent on funeral costs that occurred after that January 2020 date, the date of the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the United States. With our country's death toll tragically topping 800,000, it's clear that many families who are eligible for reimbursement have yet to take advantage of the funeral benefit.

 

So, what is required of you to receive this benefit? According to NPR, for deaths that occurred in the early months of the pandemic, death certificates must be accompanied by the signed statement from the medical examiner, coroner, and the certifying official listed on the certificate that indicates COVID-19 was the cause or a contributing cause of death. 

 

If this sounds like an overwhelming process to you, help and resources are here to ensure you follow the steps correctly to get the relief you need and deserve. While the reimbursement goes directly to individuals, your funeral directors will happily take on the task of informing grieving families of this benefit. When you need extra help with planning a funeral for a loved one who suffered from COVID-19 and how FEMA and other organizations can help you during this time, you have friends at Trinity Memorial Gardens that understand the deep sorrow you are feeling. 

 

Trinity Memorial Gardens is a picturesque facility that combines a funeral home, chapel, crematory, and a cemetery. We are proud to be independently owned and operated, which gives us a better opportunity to provide a more personal and compassionate service for our families. The caring staff at Trinity Memorial Gardens is here to assist you with arrangements and provide pre-planning information for all walks of faith. 

 

We invite you to discover what has made Trinity Memorial Gardens Funeral Home and Cemetery the ultimate provider of creating healing experiences in the community. Visit our website today to find out more information about how we can honor your loved ones' memory in the way they deserve. 

 

 

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Sources

https://wsvn.com/news/investigations/fema-reimbursing-funeral-costs-for-covid-related-deaths-just-41-in-florida-have-applied/

https://www.npr.org/2021/12/26/1068103241/fema-wants-to-give-families-up-to-9-000-for-covid-funerals-but-many-dont-apply

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/florida-funeral-homes-covid-deaths-overworked-morgues/

https://www.fema.gov/disaster/coronavirus/economic/funeral-assistance