8 Reasons to Start a Memorial Fund
Memorial funds can do a lot more than help a family cover unexpected expenses. They can be used for anything close to the decedent’s heart or anything their family envisions would help them continue their legacy. Here are some reasons you should consider starting a memorial fund after someone passes away.
What is a memorial fund?
A memorial fund is a special account set up to collect donations in memory of someone who has died. These funds can be used to pay for the deceased person's funeral and other related expenses. Memorial funds can also be used to pay for other causes that were important to the person who passed away . Some memorial fund examples include covering their children's college expenses, purchasing items for a local sports team, donating funds to a local charity, or anything else that was important to the decedent and their family.
How can I start a memorial fundraiser?
Starting a memorial fundraiser on Ever Loved is simple and can be done in as little as 10 minutes. Simply head here and create a memorial website. Once you've started your memorial website, you'll have the option to add a memorial fundraiser which you can use for any number of things, including funeral expenses help, charitable giving, a college fund for kids, and anything else that comes to mind.
When you're ready to reach out to your community for assistance or contributions, you can read through these suggestions for memorial fund donation wording.
How memorial funds can help
Memorial funds can be used for any number of things -- they aren't just used for raising emergency funeral funds or providing a family with funeral assistance. Many families use the memorial funds for a deceased person to continue their legacy through philanthropy or other more tangible means (such as purchasing a bench in a park). Here are some common reasons folks start a memorial fund:
1. You can help out a charitable organization
One of the most common reasons families start a memorial fund is to raise donations towards an organization, charity, or cause that was important to the person who passed away. These can include anything from a non-profit in their community to a national animal rescue. If you start a funeral fundraiser on Ever Loved, you have the ability to raise donations for multiple separate charities.
2. You can help the family get emergency funeral funds
Funerals in the US cost families an average of $9,000, which often comes as a shock to those who have recently lost someone. Many families are completely unable to afford this price tag and aren't able to hold a funeral until the bill is paid. Cooperative funeral funds help families to cover unexpected funeral costs and expenses are a great way to lift the financial burden off of a grieving family. Memorial fundraisers on Ever Loved can help struggling families cover funeral expenses by enabling their community to support them during their time of distress.
3. You can cover the cost of college
Families with children that have lost a parent may find themselves struggling to cover education-related expenses. Starting a memorial fund to send someone's children to college (or at least help to offset the cost) is a popular and practical use for a memorial fund. The deceased person's memory can live on through their children in a very tangible and important way.
4. You can share their memory with your local community
Memorial park benches, bricks, or other installations are another popular way to memorialize someone's life while contributing to others. If your loved one loved a specific park or spot in nature, consider working with the park or city to have a bench or other fixture installed in their memory. Fundraising in memory of someone not only gives the family the opportunity to recognize the impact their loved one had, but it also gives people the opportunity to raise money towards a lasting memory that others can interact with to remember someone who has passed away.
5. You can help the family cover other unexpected additional expenses
While funeral expenses make up a portion of costs after someone passes away, they certainly are not the only expenses that a family faces when someone dies. Other unexpected expenses can add to the pressure a family faces after losing someone. Starting a fundraiser for funeral expenses doesn't mean you can't include other expenses alongside the primary purpose. Simply let folks know that the fundraiser is to cover both funeral expenses and other unexpected costs (such as medical expenses, hospice care, and logistical expenses) is a great way to support the family during their time of need.
6. You can give the family time to grieve without financial burden
Whether you start a memorial fundraiser to cover funeral expenses or to help cover other costs after a family loses a loved one, a memorial fundraiser will help alleviate some of the pressure faced by the family. Alleviating the financial burden by raising funds to cover these unexpected costs can be a huge help to a family grieving the loss of a loved one. Starting a memorial fund to support the family financially can also give them the time to grieve without having to worry about missed days at work or an inability to pay important bills due to time they need to take away from their jobs.
7. You can help establish a legacy.
Starting a memorial fund is an easy way to establish a solid legacy for the person who passed away. Whether you're helping send their children to college or installing a bench in a favorite park -- you're enabling the community to contribute in memory of someone who has passed away. Establishing a legacy may not be something that was important to your loved one while they lived (or maybe it was), but memorial funds are useful in establishing this legacy after they pass away.
8. You can help other families or communities in need
Memorial funds don't just help the family who lost someone, they can help the community at large. Many fundraisers on Ever Loved have supported families through fundraisers set up towards charitable giving. One of these types of memorial funds are those set up for beloved pets and animals. Families set up a memorial fundraiser to honor the life of a beloved pet and have donations go towards local humane societies or other charities focused on animal welfare. These generous contributions allow hundreds (if not thousands) of animals the chance at finding a loving home and place in society, all from a memorial fundraiser.
Ready to host a funeral fundraiser without having to handout flyers? When you're ready to start a memorial fundraiser, you can easily set one up on Ever Loved. Ever Loved memorial fundraisers are connected to memorial websites which let you connect with friends and family, share memories, collect donations, share event information, and so much more.
