Hosanna Burial Project Newsletter

Working Together for More Affordable, Honest End-of-Life Care

As Hosanna Burial Project celebrates 3 years of planning, we are thrilled to share exciting news. You may remember we won the $10,000 a month Google Ad Grant. 

We have also been selected to partner with Develop for Good, www.developforgood.org, a nonprofit organization that helps build websites, apps, and other digital services for nonprofits through the efforts of hardworking college students under the supervision of industry mentors. Through this opportunity, a dedicated team of 13 volunteers has been working to completely redesign and transform our website! Our  new site is expected to launch in mid-August at the end of  a 16 week build out. 

Thanks to this grant opportunity, the new website will make it easier for families to: 

• Connect with other society members.
• Become a paid or volunteer community organizer.
• Connect with your local community, its leaders and industries.

We can’t wait to share the new website with you and hear what you think! Thank you to the entire Develop for Good team for donating their time, creativity, and expertise to help advance affordable funerals.  We are hoping they all take a bow at the end of this journey with us. 

The Shovel That Makes Funerals Free 

We invite you to join us in our new fundraising effort—the shovel that makes funerals free. 

You’ll receive a custom-engraved ceremonial shovel with your family name on the handle or blade. The very tool that carries you home at your burial, becomes a lasting family heirloom. For a suggested donation of $250, order yours at letsbetrees.org. 

 *All donations are tax-deductible through the Hosanna High Natural Burial Project, a volunteer-led     501(c)(3) where every dollar goes toward marketing and community development to make funerals free again.

The “Family Tree” Becomes Literal

Imagine the Family Tree becomes a real tree. With our simple, less expensive and environmentally friendly model, all you need is $100 and your own shovel or our custom-engraved King of Spades. 

 —Add a lilac hydrangea for Uncle Greg or a cactus for Aunt so and so. Make your family plot a rejuvenating living memorial garden. Join us to help make funerals affordable for everyone.

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5 New College Interns

We are proud to announce that we have 5 new volunteers and Federal Work Study paid interns! With the help of www.joinhandshake.com, our “Help Make Funerals Free” ads have proven to be an excellent resource for bringing new perspective and young talent to an outdated and tired industry.  These young people are excited to change this system, and I am delighted to lead the way!

Stay tuned for these community heroes’ introductions in the upcoming newsletters. 

In addition to this exciting news, we continue our work advocating for affordable, environmentally conscious, and transparent burial options for families. 

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On June 23, 2026 we filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

For years, the National Funeral Directors Association NFDA reported that the average cost of a “funeral with burial” is approximately $8,300. We believe many consumers reasonably understood this figure to represent the total cost for burial. However, cemetery and burial-related expenses were NOT included in this number.  Check their site https://content.nfda.org/news/media-center/nfda-news-releases/id/8134/2023-nfda-general-price-list-study-shows-inflation-increasing-faster-than-the-cost-of-a-funeral

 These additional costs average $4,500 and include cemetery plots, opening and closing of the grave, and other cemetery-related fees. These fees can increase the real cost for burial to $13,000 or more. We believe if the population knew the real cost of burial, they would plan better for it.  

This is an industry failure, and with years of spreading this misinformation, the entire internet is incorrectly quoting $8,300 for the average “cost of funeral with burial.” The damage is done; we are now faced with undoing the damage.  

To be sure, our goal is not to criticize this large industry. Rather, we believe consumers should receive accurate information so they can plan their future. We also believe funerals should be not-for-profit, so we wrote a 9 Point Petition to address everything that we believe is wrong with the current funeral system. Sign and Share here: https://letsbetrees.org/9-point-petition-to-reclaim-our-death-rites/ 

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Lastly, as we look ahead to the fall, we are making plans for our All Saints’ Day Revival on November 1st. 

We warmly encourage everyone to spend part of All Saints’ Day visiting a cemetery that is meaningful to you—whether it is where a loved one is buried, a historic cemetery in your community, or a veterans cemetery.  

Take time to remember, reflect, place flowers, light a candle where permitted, or simply walk among those who came before us. Teach the children cemetery etiquette, local & family history and sacred places that connect our communities and our shared history. 

Stay tuned as we plan for a black-tie dinner in a yet-to-be-disclosed local cemetery in the Greater Central Piedmont area of North Carolina on Sunday, November 1, 2026. 

This will be a fundraising event to bring awareness to Hosanna High’s mission to make funerals affordable for everyone again. 

In the coming months, we’ll share more details about ways you can participate and celebrate All Saints’ Day with us. Visit our website to learn more about this beautiful tradition. Overnight Package weekends will be available by 5 star Airbnb hosts. Email info@letsbetrees.org for more information: https://letsbetrees.org/all-saints-day-revival/ 

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❤️ Thank You

Do you have a story or idea to share with us? Every conversation, every shared story, every donation, and every word of encouragement helps move this mission forward. 

Want to become a Saint in your community? Consider land donation or crypto or stock gifts.  

Together, we are building a future where every family has access to truthful information, compassionate support, and affordable end-of-life choices.

Thank you for standing with Hosanna High Natural Burial Project.

Feel free to contact me with any questions or advice. Together we will make funerals affordable for our futures.  

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