Urgent Supply Request from NFDA

NFDA Working with Officials to Serve as National Resource
President R. Doggett Whitaker Jr., CFSP, Calling for Your Support

In our continued effort to offer help and support to the funeral service community affected by Hurricane Katrina, NFDA has been in contact with FEMA, the Department of Health & Human Services and state officials. They have asked us to serve as a national resource for funeral service supplies and assistance. We have begun compiling a list of resources so that NFDA and the funeral service profession are ready to aid government officials when called upon in the near future.

NFDA President R. Doggett Whitaker Jr., CFSP is en route to Mississippi and is issuing a plea for the continued compassion and generosity of the supplier community. “We need your help! Funeral homes have been devastated and the situation is severe. We are desperately in need of all types of funeral service resources, ranging from embalming supplies, disaster pouches, body bags, gloves, candles and any memorial items,” states Whitaker.

Please send an email immediately to lglawe@nfda.org indicating what supplies you are able to donate along with the quantity, as well as a contact name and telephone number of someone from your organization that can be reached 24-7.

Also, if you have any connections to other general suppliers, such as cell phones or pagers, bottled water, etc., we would greatly appreciate receiving that information from you to add to our list.

NFDA deeply and sincerely appreciates any support or contribution you are able to provide. As you may know, we've activated the Disaster Relief Fund for those who would like to make contributions to support funeral directors affected by Katrina, as they work to re-establish business in order to serve families.

In the meantime, the affected and surrounding state associations have requested that all calls and contributions be directed to NFDA as the central resource. For continuous updates and information, visit www.nfda.org.

Thank you for your care, concern and ongoing support of those in the funeral service family who need our help at this time.