What to do when someone dies is a mystery to most of us. But there is movement to regain the lost skills and self-reliance of previous generations, driven by a vision of creating more affordable, eco-friendly, meaningful and authentic ways of memorializing and caring for our own dead ourselves, in our own homes, in our churches, and in our communities. This movement is gaining momentum, guided by ethical and environmentally conscious values, seeking more congruent methods and practices that reflect our vision for the planet and provide a sense of place for those left behind.
NHFREA's goal is to empower individuals, families, friends, communities, and professionals to make funeral decisions based on knowledge, not fear or grief or by default. For many, that will mean learning how to conduct a home funeral; for others, it will mean searching for a funeral director who will honor their unique ideas; for still others it will mean advocating for change in our municipal cemetery, hospital, and government laws and policies. However this reform in funeral practices and responsibility resonates with you, we are here to educate, to support, and to nurture new ideas that will change the way we do death in the best possible ways.
Find Us at These Locations!
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July 26, 2019
7:30 pm Moore Free Library Newfane, VT Bringing Death Back Home: Home Funerals and Burials with Lee Webster September 17, 2019 2 pm Kendal at Hanover Hanover, NH Going Out Green: Exploring Environmentally Responsible After Death Options with Lee Webster September 20 - 22, 2019 Home Funeral Practicum Plymouth, NH A weekend class for home funeral guides and the curious that focuses on legal and practical aspects of conducting a home funeral, learning in community and making connections to others in the field. October 4 - 6, 2019 National Home Funeral Alliance Biennial Conference Oak Ridge Hotel and Conference Center Chaska, MN October 17 - 19, 2019 Land Trust Alliance Rally Raleigh, NC |
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NHFREA in the News
Chuck Lakin trying on his casket at Common Ground Fair
Listen to:
Bonus Episode: 3 ½ Feet Under with Lee Webster, NHPR, Outside/In, first aired March 9, 2017
Home Funerals are Here to Stay Deanna Cochran of Quality of Life Care with Lee Webster, January 7, 2017
#TalkDeath Episode 5: Who Owns Your Body with Tanya Marsh and Lee Webster, YouTube Qeepr
Maine Public Radio interview with Chuck Lakin and Julie Lanoie on Maine Calling on November 3, 2016
Green Burial radio interview with Lee Webster on Phaneuf Funeral Home's Dying to Talk on 107.7 FM January 12, 2016
The Power of Home Funerals and History of the NHFA with Lee Webster, End of Life University with Karen Wyatt, M.D.
NHPR's Word of Mouth interview with Lee Webster January 30, 2014
Watch:
Home Wakes, Home Funerals Suzanne O'Brien of DoulaGivers with Lee Webster, January 30, 2019
Lee Webster speaking with Bodhi Be at DeathTracks December 4, 2018
Janet Ellis speaking at How to Bury Your Loved One at Home - How to Have a Home Funeral March 23, 2016
Julie Lanoie speaking about the home funeral at the UU Fellowship of the Eastern Slopes on March 2, 2014
Read:
What is Human Composting by Katherine Hignett, Newsweek.com, April 23, 2019
Lebanon cemetery officials research possibility of green burial by Tim Camerato, Valley News, April 14, 2019
Why Caring for Our Own Dead is an Act of Social Justice from theWake Forest Law Review by Lee Webster, March 1, 2018
At the End of Life: Death Doulas and Home Funeral Guides on MedPage Today with Julie Lanoie and Lee Webster, April 11, 2015