The COVID-19 pandemic has brought overwhelming and unforeseen grief to many families. To that end, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is helping to ease some of the financial stress and burden caused by the coronavirus disease.
Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, FEMA is providing financial assistance for COVID-19 related funeral expenses incurred after Jan. 20, 2020.
Those who had funeral expenses due to the coronavirus can apply for FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance by calling 844-684-6333 (TTY: 800-462-7585) between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. EDT, Monday through Friday. Multilingual services are available.
After the initial call, FEMA will send the applicant a Request for Information (RFI) which outlines all the documentation needed to process the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance application.
For further information, applicants can also visit the frequently asked questions section in FEMA’s website at Funeral Assistance FAQ | FEMA.gov.
To date, the agency has received 17 applications for funeral expenses due to COVID-19 and has disbursed $44,066 for this assistance in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
FEMA will continue to partner with the government of the V.I., and together they will ensure the equitable delivery of programs as it remains a top priority.