The Basics of Charitable Donations
Many obituaries will have a notice to donate contributions to a certain charity in honor of the deceased. This is a great way to help cure a disease or disability that the deceased suffered from, or donate to a cause that they cared about. There are two main things to consider:
Religious Traditions
How to Donate
Religious Traditions
Judaism and Christianity look highly on donating to charity.
Hinduism and Islam tend to feel that people should help the family pay for funeral expenses.
If you do not know the traditions of the deceased’s specific religion, there is always information online to help you research.
How to Donate
Most obituaries will include instructions on where memorials should be sent.
If the obituary does not specify where donations are to be made, you can contact the funeral home or consult with the family for suggestions.
If there is no specific process set up you can send a check to the charity directly.
You can also send a check to your favorite charity on behalf of the deceased. The charity will contact the family with notice of your donation.
You can find a full list of American charities at www.charities.org.