INDIANAPOLIS — COVID-19 has claimed more than half a million lives in this country. More than 13,000 of them were Hoosiers.
The federal government is offering to help their families pay for funeral costs. The government will pay up to $9,000 for an individual funeral and up to $35,000 to families who lost numerous loved ones. So far, it has given out more than $128 million to nearly 19,000 applicants nationwide.
As of Tuesday, more than 3,500 Indiana residents have begun the application process and 152 have been awarded the money. That's about 4 percent.
On its website, FEMA says once applicants have supplied all the necessary documentation and submitted it, a caseworker reviews it and "determines whether they're eligible in less than 25 days."
For more on the COVID-19 Funeral Assistance program, click here.
