Contact:   NFDA: Jessica Koth, 262-814-1536; Emilee High, 262-814-1547
                 FSF: Celine Clark Haga, 877-402-5900
For Immediate Release:
January 15, 2010 
NFDA: 04-10

Brookfield, Wis. – The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) has partnered with the Funeral Service Foundation (FSF) to accept donations to support relief efforts in Haiti following the earthquake that devastated the island nation on January 12. Contributions to the Haiti Relief Fund will be used for humanitarian efforts, including, if possible, funding for mortuary affairs efforts.

There are three ways to make a contribution:

• Online: Visit the FSF Website, www.funeralservicefoundation.org, and click on the "Make a Donation" link at the top of the page to make a secure contribution via PayPal. Donors should indicate their contribution is for the "Haiti Relief Fund" in the comments section of the PayPal donation form.
• By phone: Call the foundation office toll-free at 877-402-5900 to make a contribution via credit card.
• By mail: Mail a check, payable to the Funeral Service Foundation, to: Funeral Service Foundation; 13625 Bishop's Drive; Brookfield, WI 53005-6607. Donors should indicate their contribution is for the "Haiti Relief Fund" on the memo line of the check.

Yesterday, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dr. Nicole Lurie (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) exclusively invited NFDA to take part in a conference call to discuss medical donations related to the Haiti disaster relief effort. NFDA will also participate in a conference call today with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Infrastructure Protection Program to further discuss relief efforts.

Numerous NFDA members continue to express their interest in traveling to Haiti to assist with DMORT operations and to help local funeral directors preserve the dignity of those who died. Members should not self-deploy to the affected areas as conditions are severe; participating in a coordinated response with a government or aid organization will make for an effective response to the needs of the Haitian people. NFDA staff is working closely with government officials to determine the type of assistance needed from the funeral service community and when it might be safe to travel to Haiti. In the meantime, NFDA members interested in volunteering in Haiti should call the association at 800-228-6332.

Finally, the FBI issued several reminders this morning to the public to help them avoid fraudulent solicitations purportedly for a charitable organization and/or a good cause. NFDA advises its members to follow these FBI guidelines, which include:

• Do not respond to any unsolicited (spam) incoming e-mails, including clicking links contained within those messages.
• Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as surviving victims or officials asking for donations via e-mail or social networking sites.
• Verify the legitimacy of nonprofit organizations by utilizing various Internet-based resources that may assist in confirming the group's existence and its nonprofit status rather than following a purported link to the site.
• Be cautious of e-mails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files because the files may contain viruses.
• Only open attachments from known senders.Make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf to ensure contributions are received and used for intended purposes.

About FSF

The Funeral Service Foundation, through grants, scholarships and research initiatives, supports career and professional development in funeral service, the advancement of funeral service and allied professions, public awareness and education, and the improvement of children's lives. For information, visit www.funeralservicefoundation.org.

About NFDA

NFDA is the world's leading funeral service association, serving 19,000 individual members who represent more than 10,200 funeral homes in the United States and internationally. From its headquarters in Brookfield, Wis., and its Advocacy Division office in Washington, D.C., NFDA informs, educates and advocates to help members enhance the quality of service they provide to families. For more information, visit www.nfda.org.

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