News & Events

Our Spring Newsletter is now available on our website, and will soon be delivered to our subscribers. Contents include news from our recent Price Comparison project, a report of last fall’s Annual Meeting & Program, announcement of the date (October…

Our 2026 Price Comparison report is ready, after months of work. Starting in January 2026, a committee of FCAWM trustees began the biennial price survey of funeral homes in western Massachusetts. By the end of April after contacting 83 funeral…

The Hadley Senior Center will host a program on June 2 titled, “Funeral Planning for Those Who Don’t Plan to Die.” Advance signup required. See the May-July 2026 issue of the Hadley COA newsletter (available online in PDF format) or…

We have launched a new webpage this week, providing updated information for families who wish to care for their own dead at home. We invite you to view this new Home Funeral page: https://funeralconsumerswmass.org/home-funerals-caring-for-your-own-dead/ Massachusetts has reformed its death registry…

We have a new supply of the FCA planner booklet titled “Before I Go, You Should Know” (also known as the B.I.G. book). See our newly-updated page about these planners, which have been published for years by the national Funeral…

“There’s a Lot of Money in Death”: Funeral Home Consolidation Hits Western Massachusetts, an article by Jonathan Gerhardson, was posted today on The Shoestring. This reporter has spent weeks investigating changes in ownership of funeral homes in our region and…

On Monday, September 29, at a public hearing (viewable via livestream 9am-1pm), several bills concerning death care are on the Agenda. We are especially interested in H.2444, An Act expanding after-death care options. Other bills of interest are H.2374, An…

Our 8-page newsletter was completed last night. Production of the print version (black & white) started today and will be mailed out (via bulk mail) soon. See the color version now on our website. Content included: If you have ideas…

We invite you to a program titled, “Can We Talk? Starting A Conversation About Death.” Come learn about ways to talk with your loved ones about death, dying, and funeral plans. Dina Stander, an end-of-life navigator, will lead the discussion….

We’re sorry that our 2024 Price Comparison Table had failed to open. (You may have seen a message about needing an add-on required to open it. That problem was at our end, not yours.) Our Directory of Funeral Homes was…