NFDA is proud to support a new national public service announcement campaign, The First Call, led by Chaptr in collaboration with Homesteaders and Tribute Technology. This initiative will shine a national spotlight on funeral directors and the vital role you play in your communities.

On April 23, a national public service announcement campaign called “The First Call” will launch to spotlight funeral directors as the essential, community-first professionals you are. As part of this initiative, there will be a 15-minute full Times Square digital billboard takeover, featuring funeral directors from across the country.

The goal is simple but important: to help reshape how the public sees this profession by highlighting the compassion, professionalism, diversity and humanity that define your work every day. 

This is expected to be the largest PSA-style campaign focused on funeral service in the last 30 years, and we would love to see you represented.

What Chaptr needs from you

1. A short video submission: Chaptr is inviting funeral directors to submit a quick video for inclusion in the campaign. The Chaptr team will provide guidance; no production experience needed.

If you are interested in submitting a video, please email Rehan Choudhry from Chapter at timessquare@chptr.com by Wednesday, April 8. 

2. Attendance on April 23 in New York City: A small gathering will take place in New York City to watch the campaign debut in Times Square alongside fellow funeral professionals and partners.

If you are interested in attending, please email Rehan Choudhry from Chapter at timessquare@chptr.com before April 23.

What this opportunity means for you: 

• Featured in Times Square as part of a national campaign
• Inclusion in PSAs distributed nationwide across TV, radio, and digital platforms 
• A chance to represent and elevate the profession on a national stage
• Event photography/video if attending in person

This campaign is an opportunity to help tell the story of funeral service in a way the public rarely sees – through the voices and faces of the professionals who serve families every day.

If you’re interested, reach out to Chaptr to get started. NFDA is honored to support this effort and hopes to see strong member participation in this important moment for the profession.