Nashville, TN (TN Tribune)—Families who lost loved ones to Covid-19 can now get help with funeral expenses from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, though the program got off to a bumpy start.
The agency launched on Monday a hotline — 844-684-6333 — to apply for up to $9,000 in assistance per burial.
While FEMA has aided families with disaster-related burial costs in the past, the Covid-19 effort is the largest of its type. Some $2 billion was allocated as part of the $900 billion relief deal Congress approved in December, while the Democrats’ $1.9 trillion package last month bolstered it by providing the agency with an additional $50 billion to use for coronavirus-related costs.
The program’s debut was marked by busy signals and “technical issues,” the agency said Monday, noting it had received “thousands of calls” on its first day of operation.
To be eligible for funeral assistance, you must meet these conditions:
- The death must have occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.
- The death certificate must indicate the death was attributed to COVID-19.
- The applicant must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien who incurred funeral expenses after January 20, 2020.
- There is no requirement for the deceased person to have been a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien.
If you know of anyone who had a family member pass away from COVID-19, FEMA will provide up to $7,000.00 to reimburse funeral expenses for deaths that occurred after January 20, 2020. The program starts in April and the information can be found at:
