Train of Compassion COVID-19 Funeral Relief Fund
Donation protected
New York City now has more COVID-19 cases than anywhere else in the world. With deaths surpassing 700 a day, the most affected are from low income communities . A lot of low-income workers in New York are essential employees, and many of them are people of color. Hundreds have sacrificed their lives to save us, and their loved ones don’t have a way of paying for their funeral services.
According to funeral-industry websites, the cost of cremating a body can start at $700 (without a funeral service). My hope is that through this fundraiser, we can help struggling families cover some of their cremation or burial expenses.
Our ask:
We’re asking folks to donate $6 (rounded cost of a roundtrip subway ride) to help these families send off fallen New Yorkers. The ask isn’t much but by contributing to this campaign and sharing it with your friends and family, we can support a lot of families. Larger donations are also welcome.
Some of us in New York are fortunate enough to be able to work from home during this time. If you’re not purchasing a monthly Metrocard, would you consider donating half of that ($64) to this cause?
How will this work?
After this fundraiser has concluded, we will partner with local non-profit organizations to identify individuals in need and distribute the funds among them. Our goal is to provide each eligible low-income family with $500.
We’re looking for hyperlocal community-facing nonprofit organizations within the five boroughs to help us identify the families in need and distribute the funds to them. If you know of any, please forward their info to us. Please think of organizations whose outreach efforts are borough-wide or smaller.
Who is eligible?
- Residents of New York City (Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island) who have passed away due to COVID-19;
- Community-facing nonprofit organizations within New York City; and
- Funeral homes and crematoriums within New York City.
What will happen to excess funds?
Excess funds will:
- Cover more affected families;
- Expand coverage area; or
- Increase the individual family benefit.
How will we update you?
We will update you via this campaign page with the number of times the benefits have been paid out.
Are you in need of burial/cremation cost assistance?
We will post the names of local organizations and areas of operation here. Please contact the one closest to you. You can also find information on City-funded resources below.
Additional resources:
NYC’s Human Resource Administration’s application for burial assistance can provide up to $900 as long as the total funeral costs do not exceed $1,700 (application is available in multiple languages).
NYS Health Department’s FAQ on burial services and the rights of loved ones (available in multiple languages).
Thank you Marcy Gooberman for creating the campaign's logo!!
According to funeral-industry websites, the cost of cremating a body can start at $700 (without a funeral service). My hope is that through this fundraiser, we can help struggling families cover some of their cremation or burial expenses.
Our ask:
We’re asking folks to donate $6 (rounded cost of a roundtrip subway ride) to help these families send off fallen New Yorkers. The ask isn’t much but by contributing to this campaign and sharing it with your friends and family, we can support a lot of families. Larger donations are also welcome.
Some of us in New York are fortunate enough to be able to work from home during this time. If you’re not purchasing a monthly Metrocard, would you consider donating half of that ($64) to this cause?
How will this work?
After this fundraiser has concluded, we will partner with local non-profit organizations to identify individuals in need and distribute the funds among them. Our goal is to provide each eligible low-income family with $500.
We’re looking for hyperlocal community-facing nonprofit organizations within the five boroughs to help us identify the families in need and distribute the funds to them. If you know of any, please forward their info to us. Please think of organizations whose outreach efforts are borough-wide or smaller.
Who is eligible?
- Residents of New York City (Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island) who have passed away due to COVID-19;
- Community-facing nonprofit organizations within New York City; and
- Funeral homes and crematoriums within New York City.
What will happen to excess funds?
Excess funds will:
- Cover more affected families;
- Expand coverage area; or
- Increase the individual family benefit.
How will we update you?
We will update you via this campaign page with the number of times the benefits have been paid out.
Are you in need of burial/cremation cost assistance?
We will post the names of local organizations and areas of operation here. Please contact the one closest to you. You can also find information on City-funded resources below.
Additional resources:
NYC’s Human Resource Administration’s application for burial assistance can provide up to $900 as long as the total funeral costs do not exceed $1,700 (application is available in multiple languages).
NYS Health Department’s FAQ on burial services and the rights of loved ones (available in multiple languages).
Thank you Marcy Gooberman for creating the campaign's logo!!
Fundraising team: Friends + Neighbors (2)
Manny Capellan
Organizer
Brooklyn, NY
Shannon Getzel
Beneficiary
Miriam Gabriel
Team member
