Bleak Impact: Illinois' Child Funeral Assistance Program Falls Short

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The Mychal Moultry Jr. Funeral and Burial Assistance Program in Illinois was established with the noble intention of alleviating financial burdens for low-income families grappling with the unthinkable loss of a child to gun violence. Promising up to $10,000 to cover funeral costs including caskets, urns, and memorial services, the program seemed like a beacon of hope.

Yet, as of May 2024, nearly a year since its inception, the program’s impact has been startlingly minimal. Only eight applications have been submitted, resulting in assistance for just two families. This paltry outcome starkly contrasts with the urgent need, highlighted by the tragic statistics: 106 juveniles fatally shot in Chicago alone since July 2022, and 203 statewide during the same period.

Named after four-year-old Mychal Moultry Jr., a victim of gun violence himself, the program’s failure to effectively reach families in crisis underscores systemic flaws in outreach and accessibility. Even Mychal’s father expressed dismay at the program’s obscurity and limited utilization.

This distressing situation exposes deep-seated challenges in distributing crucial aid where it’s most needed, leaving advocates and affected communities rightfully demanding improved promotion and accessibility. The state’s obligation to support these families in their darkest hours must translate from promise to meaningful action.

Source

(1) Illinois Promised to Help With Funeral Costs for Children Lost to Gun .... https://www.thetrace.org/2024/05/illinois-gun-shooting-child-funeral-cost/.

(2) New law helps pay funeral costs of children killed by gun violence. https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/2022/5/11/23067341/youth-burial-assistance-grant-program-collins-lilly-gun-violence-funerals-mychal-moultry.

(3) Illinois to cover funeral expenses for children killed by gun violence .... https://thehill.com/changing-america/well-being/longevity/3490280-illinois-to-cover-funeral-expenses-for-children-killed-by-gun-violence/.

(4) State of Illinois to Cover Funeral Expenses for Children Killed by Gun .... https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/guns-violence-deaths-chicago/2022/05/16/id/1070118/