Before the Funeral

1. Offer to notify the friend and family about the funeral arrangements. Make sure you keep a record of everyone contacted.
2. Bring prepared meals for the family.
3. Recruit volunteers to help with house cleaning, dishes, and yard work.
4. Help answer phones and greet visitors.
5. Keep a record of call and visitors.  
6. Help coordinate the food and beverages for family and friends after the funeral .
7. Offer to serve food and beverages after the services.
8. Help with grocery shopping or recruit a volunteer to do the shopping.
9. Offer housing and transportation to and from the airport for out of town friends and family.
10. Make arrangements for extra seating for the gathering after the funeral.
11. Prepare a dish following the service.

The Day of the Funeral

1. Help with direction.
2. Provide transportation to those who need it.
3. Offer to transport flowers after the funeral.   
4. Coordinate the volunteers duties such as preparing a buffet table,
5. Make sure extra seating is set up.
6. Help prepare and serve food and beverages.
7. Help with the clean up.
8. Be patient, loving and emotionally supportive.     

Helping with Healing

1. Help with the correspondence and Thank you notes.
2. Talk about the deceased and encourage others to do so.
3. Prepare meals for the bereaved and invite them to dinner often.
4. Offer to go to the cemetery or place where the remains reside.
5. Offer to help with yard and house chores.
6. Offer to house sit if the bereaved desires to visit out of town friends or relative.
7. Offer to care for the children (if any) for a afternoon or weekend.
8. Offer to spend the night if the bereaved is alone.
9. Give  your support and encouragement with little cards.
10. If the bereaved has a pet or pets offer to walk or care for them.
11. Be prepared to support them during difficult periods such as birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and anniversary of death.
12. Listen to their concerns and help in the areas you can.