CHARITABLE DONATIONS POLICY

To promote transparency and establish a clear definition of how Charitable Donations are managed, this Donations Policy outlines the key principles that guide the collection and distribution of funds. The Searson Family Funeral Service accepts Charitable Donations only via two methods: Direct Cheque Payment and Funeral Service Contributions.

 

DIRECT CHEQUE PAYMENT:

The Searson Family Funeral Service does NOT accept cash payments for Direct Donations. If a contributor prefers to donate in cash, it must be given directly to the family or deposited into a Donation Box on the day of the funeral. The only accepted form of Direct Payment at our branches is a cheque, which should be made payable to the designated charity. The Searson Family Funeral Service will not accept cheques made out to them. To ensure transparency and prevent any discrepancies, The Searson Family Funeral Service will only accept cheques made payable to the charity; cash will not be accepted at any of our Funeral Home locations.

 

FUNERAL DAY PAYMENTS:

Should our client wish to accept donations, The Searson Family Funeral Service will provide a single-use, tamper-proof Donation Box, which will be accessible after the service concludes. The Donation Box is usually positioned in the Flower Bay of the Crematorium or, if held in a church, just inside the entrance doors. For a burial, the Donation Box will be arranged with the flowers on display.

It is the Policy of The Searson Family Funeral Service that the Donation Box is handed over to our client at the end of the funeral. The Donation Box may then be taken to the Wake, if one is organised. Alternatively, our Funeral Director will return the Donation Box to the Funeral Home, where it can be collected later. Any cheques received at our Funeral Home before the funeral service will be added to the Donation Box.

 

TRANSPARENCY:

We always recommend that families make charitable donations online, as these are easy to manage, track, and audit. Most registered charities have a website and will accept donations directly, usually handling Gift Aid on your behalf. Alternatively, several online giving platforms enable you to set up a Memorial Page, where donations can be made, Gift Aid managed for you, and messages left for the family.

CHANGES TO THIS POLICY:
We reserve the right to modify this Policy at any time. Changes and clarifications to the policy will take effect immediately upon their posting on the website.