Yes! You can. If you have a smaller event or a one-way livestream, you can assign 1-2 people in your circle of friends to plan and manage the online event. Here are some useful tips to plan a virtual funeral: https://events.gatheringus.com/blogs/news/how-to-plan-a-virtual-funeral-or-celebration-of-life)

The GatheringUs (GU) team works with families to develop virtual and hybrid plans for virtual funerals, virtual memorials, celebrations of life, homegoings, and other end-of-life events. They work with the family to create a program of events, suggest best practices to ensure the optimal use of technology, and develop a very detailed script with stage directions. During the event, the GatheringUs staff will share videos, mute and unmute participants, share prayers & readings and provide instructions and more information in the chat. 

Personal donations can only be made in US dollars and deposited into a US bank account with a corresponding US address.

Pledgeling, our third-party donation partner, supports the use of international organizations, but the disbursement procedure is slightly different. Please reach out to our team at cs@gatheringus.com to coordinate international disbursements.

Yes. Our third party donation partner, Pledgeling, sends a report with the names of people who donated on the GatheringUs memorial page to the nonprofit along with the funds. They do not disclose the memorial organizer's information.

Yes. As a memorial organizer, you can remove a post for any reason. On the upper right-hand side of each post, there is a button that looks like a row of three dots. Click this button and select “remove". You can always reach out to the GatheringUs Support Team for help at support@gatheringus.com.

After you create a GatheringUs account, click the “Create a Memorial” button, or go to GatheringUs.com/memorials/create. All you need is the name of the person you’re honoring to get started -- other information, such as the obituary or donation options can be updated later. 

You do not need a GatheringUs account to view a memorial page. 

However, you do need a GatheringUs profile page in order to create or interact with a memorial page. This includes making posts, donations, uploading photos, etc. We require a profile for users in order to protect the privacy and security of memorials and to prevent any spam from being posted.

All you need to sign up is a profile name and your email address or social media account. To sign up, go to GatheringUs.com/Signup and: 

1. Register with an email address and password. 

OR

1. Connect your Facebook or Google account: Click the blue “Continue with Facebook” button or the red “Continue with Google” button and log in.

GatheringUs Memorials
GatheringUs Memorials are a lasting online space where friends and family can gather to support each other and celebrate the life of their loved one. You can create a memorial page where friends and family can share stories and messages, upload photos and videos, find event information (virtual and in-person), and make donations to the family or non-profit organizations. 

GatheringUs Virtual Events
Virtual Events are a customized, facilitated online event, usually a memorial or funeral, where guests participate through their computer, phone, or smart-device (tablet, iPad, etc). Attendees from near or far away can see and hear the ceremony, participate in a story sharing, and pay their respects to the family. You’ll be able to see the supportive faces through your screen. Using today’s technology while upholding traditions, we help you journey through grief and gather your friends and family in mourning. Getting support from friends and family helps the journey through grief and virtual events make this possible.

You can contact GatheringUs by email Support@GatheringUs.com or by phone at 609-832-3155.

Yes. In the Organizer Options menu on the memorial page, click on Edit Remembrance. Under the Memorials tab, click Delete Memorial. 

Memorials do not expire, so you and your community can come back, plan gatherings, anniversaries, and view memories whenever you want.

Grieving is a process that cannot be rushed. You can raise a memorial fund at any time. There is no limit for when to start your memorial, though we recommend that if you are raising money for funeral costs, the sooner the better. Crowdfunding from family and friends can make things easier. 

Please contact us here with any feedback or thoughts you have about your GatheringUs experience.

Yes. If a memorial page shows up on our website/is searchable, it is a public memorial open to any donor. We just ask that you be respectful if you do not know the family.

Setting a goal to gives people a number to work towards. Making the first donation often increases fundraising as people are more inclined to donate after they see the first donation.

For Personal Donations: the average funeral costs $7,000 to $10,000. We recommend discussing goals with the family, and deciding whether you need to cover costs of a funeral service, additional funds to support the family and/or donate to charity.

Although we monitor Memorials, GatheringUs does not guarantee the authenticity of a Memorial. If you do not know the organizer and can not verify their identity, do not make personal donations to that Memorial. Charitable donations are sent directly to the charity through Pledgeling our online charitable partner.  If you believe that a Memorial is misleading or fraudulent, let our team know by reporting it here.

There are two types of donations options on GatheringUs.  Charity Donations made through our charitable donation partner, Pledgeling are all tax deductible.  Immediately after contributing donors will receive a donation receipt by email from Pledgeling.

Personal donations to cover funeral and medical expenses, and other costs, are generally considered to be personal gifts and are not typically tax-deductible, as they do not go directly to a charitable organization. Check with a tax professional for additional guidance. GatheringUs does not provide receipts for tax purposes for personal donations.

Donors may choose to give GatheringUs a voluntary tip during the donation process. These tips allow us to maintain and improve our free platform so we can help even more people. We are incredibly grateful for the donors who help power GatheringUs.

Donations have a standard credit card payment processing fee of 2.9% plus $0.30.