Hudson Valley Families Can Get $9,000 if Loved One Died of COVID

Families who lost a loved one to COVID-19 in the Hudson Valley can apply for reimbursement starting on Monday.

The Hudson Valley has been hit hard by COVID-19. Sadly, in New York State there were over 50,000 people who lost their lives to the virus. Locally, over 1,300 residents in Dutchess, Orange and Ulster Counties are no longer alive due to COVID-19.

The death of a family member is devastating and can come with some serious financial burdens. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the average funeral can cost from $7,000 to well over $10,000, not including things like a burial plot, headstone or flowers.

With so many people suffering financial hardships due to the pandemic, the sorrow of losing a loved one has been made even more tragic by the costs associated with laying their family members to rest.

If you've lost a loved one, the government has announced that they will be stepping in to offer financial aid. FEMA will be providing up to $9,000 in reimbursement money to cover funeral expenses including caskets, urns, headstones, cremation, funeral home costs and other charges incurred from laying a loved one to rest.

In order to receive assistance, you can call a special hotline number starting on Monday, April 12 to get the process started. FEMA representatives will walk you through the process and start your application.

The reimbursement money is open to anyone who had a loved one die from COVID after January of 2020. If you suffered the loss of multiple family members, you can apply for more benefits. Assistance is limited to a maximum of $9,000 per funeral and a maximum of $35,500 per application per state.

The FEMA funeral assistance hotline is 844 684-6333. Operators will begin taking calls on Monday at 9am EST.