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FEMA provides funding towards funeral expenses during COVID-19

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is providing funding to those who have lost family members due to COVID-19 after Jan. 20, 2020.

Tyler Myers says he knows how hard families have been impacted without saying the proper goodbyes to their loved ones who have passed during the pandemic.

"They're foregoing some items that they normally would need for a traditional funeral, doing the graveside instead which is a little more affordable than what a traditional gravesite may be," said Myers.

Myers also says the number of people attending funerals has decreased since the pandemic started.

"It was a hard cap at first," Myers said, "I think we were limited to 10 people, and then it moved to a percentage instead so we were limited to 10% and just recently has it opened up to 15%."

As the financial crisis continues across the country, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is providing funding covering funeral expenses to those who have lost family members due to COVID-19 after Jan. 20, 2020.

Expenses include and are not limited to, the transfer of remains, markers, headstones, caskets and funeral services.

To be eligible, the death must have occurred in the United States, and the death certificate must indicate the death was attributed to COVID-19.

FEMA will begin accepting applications in April, therefore, they are urging all eligible applicants to gather supporting documents.

There is also no requirement for the deceased to be a citizen of the United States, a non-citizen national, or a qualified alien.

Kathleen Ryan, Esq, executive director for the Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association says the funding will be a great help to some families. 

"This money will certainly go a long way, in assisting those to try to take care of at least part of that debt, maybe not all, of it but some of it," Ryan said.

For more information, you can visit FEMA's website.

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