Dear PMA Members,
In 2025, we continued to expand access to funeral services and their affordability. Our planning documents (free, on our website), Ducks in a Row classes, and expert staff are now available in more languages than ever thanks to our partnership with Seattle Public Library and our live phone interpreter service. I’ve personally attended board meetings with the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency and Department of Ecology to lobby for expanded crematory capacity and to keep costs down.
At People's Memorial Association, we believe everyone deserves after-death arrangements that reflect their values and resources. This includes having our partners sign non-discrimination commitments in our contracts so they can’t deny our members based on gender, race, or belief. In these charged political times, we are committed to making sure all Washingtonians have rights and access to necessary end of life services without fear of predatory sales tactics or discrimination by our partners. Our expertise and education is open to anyone who visits our website or calls our office, member or not.
After we helped legalize alkaline hydrolysis and natural organic reduction in 2019, we’ve helped steward their adoption through partnerships with Recompose and Return Home, hosting dozens of educational classes, and adding these green options to our Funeral Financial Assistance Program. We listened to our members, and we know many of you are curious and excited by eco-friendly funeral options, and thanks to all of us, Washington is leading the nation in adoption of these greener methods. If you’re looking for more information about these newer disposition methods, check out a webinar or article on our website to learn more–and make sure to share this info with friends and family who might not know about these options.
I’m proud to announce PMA’s Annual Meeting will be held in person again at the Greenwood Senior Center on April 18. Attendance is free and encouraged for members and non-members alike. Meet our staff, board, community partners, and funeral home partners over coffee and pastries. And we will continue to livestream our annual meetings to ensure access for our members across the state. RSVP today at PeoplesMemorial.org/AnnualMeeting.
Check out our Events calendar at PeoplesMemorial.org/Events for upcoming education and resource fair opportunities. We do our best to offer a range of events across our state and online. We will have our Ducks in a Row class series offered several times this year in English, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Spanish. It’s only March and we already have over 30 classes and appearances planned for 2026. We hope to see you again in person soon!
We are rallying our volunteers to help with our 2026 WA Funeral Homes Price Survey this summer where we collect pricing information from all 250+ funeral homes in our state then organize them into a database for anyone to easily compare prices across funeral homes and see how good of a deal they’re getting. This consumer advocacy project is one of our pride and joys as it helps the nurses, hospice, and social workers of our state connect thousands of people with affordable funerals every year. Make sure to read our Price Survey results at PeoplesMemorial.org/PriceSurvey or reach out to info@peoplesmemorial.org if you’re interested in volunteering.
Our humble staff and volunteer board members thank you for keeping PMA independent and beholden to you, our members, as over 80% of our revenue comes from donations and one-time membership dues. We are proud to be providing Washingtonians with vital information when they need it, receive discounted rates for necessary services, and be served with the highest quality and respect. You are what allows us to continue this work since 1939, and we are looking forward to our 90th anniversary in three more years. Thank you for your support and we look forward to continuing to serve you.
Sincerely,
Casey Husseman Brandt
Executive Director
PS — Like receiving mail? PMA is relaunching its Print Newsletter. Subscribe for quarterly mailings at PeoplesMemorial.org/PrintNewsletter. A $20 donation is encouraged to help offset printing costs and know paper mail is what our members want. Make sure to share it with a friend after you read!
