Funerals in Florida

The organization offers various benefits to its members with the main one  lobbying the Florida Legislature for assistance with laws that are beneficial to the industry.  They also offer the opportunity to network thru attendance at conventions and educational seminars.  In fact, one of the seminars offered by FFDA is “How to Influence Your Legislator”.  The organization sponsors a yearly tour each Spring on Legislative Day in Tallahassee with an evening reception where the members have an opportunity to meet with state legislators.

The FFDA provides a Scholarship Award Program to promising students who plan to work in Florida and are enrolled in Mortuary Science.  Each year, prior to the Fall and Winter semester, awards are given to students to be used for tuition, books, supplies or anything else the student needs to help with his or her studies. 

In March 2000, the FFDA entered into what is considered an historic agreement with the Florida Department of Children and Families wherein they will provide funeral arrangements for foster children.  The FFDA will bear the cost of the funeral for children who die while in custody of the Department or while in the care of a foster home. 

If the biological parents do not have the financial resources to pay for the funeral, a member of the FFDA in the area of the child’s death will handle the services at no charge, taking into consideration the race, religion and cultural background of the
child.  Since this agreement went into effect, the organization has provided funerals for eighty children. 

The Central Florida cities of Kissimmee and Orlando have seen a rapid rise in Latinos moving to the area due to their employment by Disney and adjacent hotels.  Consequently, the death rate of Latins in the area has increased. 

In order to better serve the Latin community, a 10,000 square foot funeral home was built and is staffed entirely by bi-lingual personnel.  Funeraria Porta Coeli is a privately owned and operated funeral home which was opened in June of 2004.  The name of the facility means “Stairway or entrance to Heaven”. 

This is an elegant funeral home in the Mediterranean-Spanish style and will accommodate very large funerals with a chapel that can seat 175 mourners.   The facility provides services specific to the Hispanic community and their culture and has separate viewing rooms and a full kitchen available to the families for the 24 hour period when they remain at the funeral home.