Our Helpful Resources Center is designed to help demystify the many aspects of memorialization planning and provide useful resource information.

Agencies, Bureaus, Commissions & Professional Organizations
American Association of Retired Persons - www.aarp.org
is a non-profit, nonpartisan membership organization for people age 50 and over. They lead positive social change and deliver value to members through information, advocacy and service.

The Better Business Bureau System - www.bbb.org
core services include Business Reliability Reports; Dispute Resolution; Truth-in-Advertising; Consumer and Business Education; and Charity Review.

The Federal Trade Commission - www.ftc.gov
enforces federal consumer protection laws that prevent fraud, deception and unfair business practices. The Commission also enforces federal antitrust laws that could harm consumers.

Cemeteries
International Cemetery and Funeral Association - www.icfa.org
Guardians of a Nation's Heritage promoting consumer choices, pre-arrangement and open competition within the death care industry.

Cremation
Cremation Association of North America
www.cremationassociation.org
Founded in 1913, the Cremation Association of North America is an International organization composed of cemeterians, cremationists, funeral directors, industry suppliers and consultants.

National Directory of Cremation Providers - www.cremation.com
Site exists to provide information about cremation in general and to assist the public in locating a provider for cremation services.

Funerals
Funeral Consumers Alliance - www.funerals.org
a federation of non-profit consumer information societies celebrating 40 years of protecting a consumer's right to a meaningful, dignified, affordable funeral.

The International Order of the Golden Rule - www.ogr.org
a worldwide professional association of independently owned and operated funeral homes.

International Cemetery and Funeral Association - www.icfa.org
Guardians of a Nation's Heritage promoting consumer choices, pre-arrangement and open competition within the death care industry.

Jewish Funeral Directors of America - www.jfda.org
assisting people of the Jewish faith arrange meaningful and affordable funerals in the Jewish tradition.

The National Funeral Directors Association - www.NFDA.org
provides advocacy, education, information, products, programs and services to help members enhance the quality of service to families. From this website you can search for State Funeral Directors Associations nationwide.

The National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association www.nfdma.com
exists to foster research, conduct workshops and seminars, investigate funeral practices to maintain high standards of service for the benefit of the public.

Selected Independent Funeral Homes - www.nsm.org
formerly National Selected Morticians, offer consumers a wide range of choices to create a meaningful tribute following the death of a loved one.

Genealogy
African American Cemeteries Online www.prairiebluff.com/aacemetery
a project of The Millenium Project: People working together to build an online database of African American genealogical material for the 21st century.

Ancestry.com - www.ancestry.com
The largest collection of family history records on the web. Free trial and subscription available.

Cemetery Transcription Library - www.interment.net
Cemetery transcriptions by region.

Church of Latter Day Saints Family History Library www.familyhistory.org

Cyndi's List - www.cyndislist.com
a genealogical research portal onto the internet.

Genealogy.com - www.genealogy.com
Genealogy research and family tree software.

The Genealogy Home Page - www.genhomepage.com
a genealogical search engine.

Italian Genealogy - www.daddezio.com

JewishGen - www.JewishGen.org
The home of Jewish Genealogy-primary internet source connecting researchers of Jewish genealogy worldwide.

Saving Graves - www.savinggraves.com
cemetery preservation advocates working to increase public awareness and activism in preserving, protecting and restoring endangered and forgotten historic cemeteries worldwide.

U.S. National Archives & Records Administration - www.nara.gov
enables officials and agencies to review their actions and helps citizens hold them accountable and ensures continuing access to essential evidence.

Social Security Death Index Search - www.ssdi/rootsweb.com

Grieving, Grief Counseling, Grief Books
American Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Institute - www.sids.org
provides research, clinical, education and family support services.

American Veterinary Medical Association - www.avma.org
use Care For Animals tab and site index to locate excellent resources on their Pet Loss pages.

Beyond Indigo - www.death-dying.com
provides grief support, products and services to individuals and companies who assist people who are grieving.

Children's Grief and Loss Issues - www.childrensgrief.net
provides information about children experiencing grief.

Compassion Books - www.compassionbooks.com
Over 400 grief resources to help children and adults through serious illness, death, loss, grief and bereavement.

The Compassionate Friends - www.compassionatefriends.org
exists to assist families toward the positive resolution of grief following the death of a child of any age and to provide information to help others be supportive.

Counseling for Life and Loss Changes - www.counselingforloss.com
Kent, Ohio based grief counseling center.

Genesis Bereavement Resources - www.genesis-resources.com
articles, books, music, videos, brochures.

Grief, Loss and Recovery - www.grieflossrecovery.com
provides access to online grief support group and other resources.

The Grief Recovery Institute - www.grief-recovery.com
provides educational resources for those helping others through grief.

Mother Oak's Child - www.motheroaks.com
resources and books about grief and loss for children. Based in Willamette Valley, OR.

Petloss.com - www.petloss.com
personal support, thoughtful advice, The Monday Pet Loss Candle Ceremony, Tribute Pages, healing poetry and more for those grieving over the loss of a pet.

WidowNet - www.fortnet.org/WidowNet
an information and self-help resource for, and by, widows and widowers. Topics covered include grief, bereavement, recovery, and other information helpful to people, of all ages, religious backgrounds and sexual orientations, who have suffered the death of a spouse or life partner.

Hospice
American Hospice Foundation - www.americanhospice.org
supports programs that serve the needs of terminally ill and grieving individuals of all ages and exists to improve access to quality hospice care through public education, professional training, and consumer advocacy.

Growth House - www.growthhouse.org
Our primary mission is to improve the quality of compassionate care for people who are dying through public education and global professional collaboration.

Hospice Foundation of America - www.hospicefoundation.org
is a not-for-profit organization that provides leadership in the development and application of hospice and its philosophy of care. Through programs of professional development, research, public education and information, HFA assists those who cope either personally or professionally with terminal illness, death, and the process of grief.

Hospice Web - www.hospiceweb.com
The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO.org) is the largest nonprofit membership organization representing hospice and palliative care programs and professionals in the United States.

Memorial Design
American Institute of Commemorative Art
www.monuments-aica.com
exists to promote excellence in commemorative art and to enhance design and professional knowledge through the exchange of ideas within an atmosphere of trust.

Monument Builders of North America - www.monumentbuilders.org
formed in 1906 to educate memorialists and give them a forum to exchange ideas and advancements of the industry.

Veterans
Department of Veteran's Affairs - www.cem.va.gov
1-800-827-1000