'Dignity in Death': Helpful Hearts Has Offered Financial Relief to Over 100 Families
area nonprofit aids those who need support in order to lay a loved one to rest
When the loss of a loved one occurs, the last thing families want to think about is what comes next – let alone the potential financial hurdles that burials, cremation, and other related services may pose.
More than 10 years ago, Randall Mundt and the employees of Cremation Society of Wisconsin recognized a significant need in the Chippewa Valley: for some individuals and families, a lack of funds was affecting the kind of care they could give to those they had recently lost. The Helpful Hearts Foundation was formed in 2013 in response to that need.
“There are many individuals who fall into the grey zone in the system, meaning they are not eligible for state-funded funeral assistance, but are also not in a financial position to be able to afford a funeral,” Jacki Candell, Helpful Hearts board member, said. “Helpful Hearts was founded in an effort to bridge that gap.”
While the nonprofit originally aimed to help the families of children in Eau Claire, it quickly transitioned to include all age brackets and more areas, Candell said. Helpful Hearts has supported over 100 families in the Chippewa Valley and surrounding counties, including Clark, Jackson, Trempealeau, Buffalo, Taylor, Rusk, Barron, and Pepin.
We aim to help those who lose a loved one have a little relief knowing they can gracefully be put to rest. –Jackie Candell, Helpful Hearts board member
The organization offers financial support in the form of grants – an assistance package valued at up to $2,500 per individual – that go directly to the funeral home of an affected family’s choice, with no requirements other than it must be within Helpful Hearts’ service area.
“The main purpose of the scholarship is to allow the deceased to have dignity in death,” Candell said. “We aim to help those who lose a loved one have a little relief knowing they can gracefully be put to rest.”
Be it the cost of burial or cremation services, or flowers and caskets or urns, Helpful Hearts has continued to support those in need. The organization can help check an individual’s eligibility to apply for the state assistance Wisconsin Funeral and Cemetery Aid Program, and if they are not eligible, can assist them in applying for support with Helpful Hearts.
Until the time comes, many are unlikely unaware of the variety of financial costs necessary for after-life care. That sentiment was true for Candell, who said she did not realize there was a great need for this service specifically in the Chippewa Valley before working with Helpful Hearts.
“It is always very emotional to speak with the families we served. … We all continue to serve on the board of this organization because we see the profound gratitude that each family has when they learn they will be able to take their loved one home,” Candell said. “We aim to help those who lose a loved one have a little relief knowing they can gracefully be put to rest.”
Helpful Hearts thanks the community for its support after over a decade of service, including those who attend the organization’s fundraisers. This spring, the Helpful Hearts Designer Purse Bingo fundraiser will be held at Westgate Sportsman Club on May 4. On June 11 this year, the Harvesting Hope golf outing at Hickory Hills Golf Course will fundraise for both Helpful Hearts and The Arc of Eau Claire.
If you need financial support after a loss, community resources like Helpful Hearts are there to lean on. Learn more at helpfulheartswi.org.
Donate to and learn more about Helpful Hearts Foundation, Inc., online. This spring's Designer Purse Bingo fundraiser will be held Sunday, May 4, at 1pm at the Westgate Sportsman Club. The Harvesting Hope golf outing …
