City Announces Funeral Assistance Fund, FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Program
NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Today, the City of New Haven announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) started accepting applications for funeral assistance of up to $9,000 for those that have lost someone to COVID-19 earlier this week. Applications will be accepted through the phone at dedicated call centers at 844-684-6333 /TTY: 800-462-7585 from 9 AM to 9 PM Monday through Friday. To be eligible for federal assistance for funeral fees, the funeral expenses must have occurred after January 20, 2020, with the death occurring in the United States due to COVID-19.
“FEMA has been a steadfast partner with the City, and this program will help alleviate the stress many families have faced when losing a loved one to COVID-19,” said Emergency Operations Director Rick Fontana. “I just want to remind folks that wait times on the phone line will be long, as this is a national number, so please be patient as you try to get through,” he added.
For those planning to apply, an official death certificate, funeral expenses documents, and proof of funds received from other sources are necessary to receive federal assistance. It is encouraged to gather these documents prior to contacting the call center. Any costs incurred in relation to a funeral due to COVID-19, not covered by another assistance program, up to a certain sum, will be reimbursed from FEMA.
The City of New Haven is also operating its own Funeral Assistance Fund, covering the costs of up to $1,000. Applications are available by following this link and must be submitted on the applicant’s behalf by the funeral home only. If eligible, the applicant will receive funeral assistance funding.
“There are so many people who have lost someone to COVID-19,” said New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker. “I am pleased to see that our partners at FEMA have secured the funding to cover up to $9,000 in funeral costs to those that apply. Thank you to our Federal Delegation and all those at the Federal level for making this happen. I also want to thank our team at City Hall for managing the Funeral Fund to provide relief for our residents struggling to cover the costs of losing a loved one to COVID-19,” he concluded.
Further access to a FEMA online portal, as well as instructions for manual registration, will be provided after the applicant calls the call center. Additional information can be found on the FEMA website here. There is no deadline for application through the call center. For more information on applying to the City’s funeral fund,
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