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.