How To Make Donations In The Name Of A Person Who Died

Sometimes after a death, the family will ask that donations be made to a charity or foundation in the name of the person who died, or to a fund that can help the family cover the cost of the funeral or memorial service.

How To Know If The Family Has Requested Donations

If you’re not sure whether the family has requested that donations be made, check with the coordinator, or check the death notice (obituary), as that will often say.

It's best not to contact the family directly to ask about where donations can be made, since you can usually get this information from another person.

However, you may want to reach out to the family to talk to them about the cause to which you are donating, and the deceased's involvement or interest in that cause. In that case, it's a good idea to wait until after the funeral or memorial service, when the business and stress of the service has passed.

How Much Should You Donate?

If you want to make a donation in the name of the person who died, you should give as much as you feel comfortable giving. Donating money to a cause in the name of the person who died is not necessarily meaningful because of how much money you give, but rather because it shows that you're thinking of the family and supporting the family.

For more advice on this topic see our article: Sending Condolence Gifts