Operation HOPE vows to continue Covid funeral help despite CARES Act funding running out

EL PASO, Texas -- Operation H.O.P.E. has been receiving CARES Act funding to help assist grieving families bury their loved ones during Covid-19 pandemic.

The funding has been in place since November and has provided the nonprofit with an additional $2,500 to provide to families. Angel Gomez, the group's co-founder, tells ABC-7 the funding won't last past this week.

“The need is growing everyday we get calls 1:45 in the morning, 3:45 in the morning, 8 in the morning, all hours of the day people are passing away,” Gomez said.

Operation H.O.P.E. has been helping struggling families through the pandemic however the additional $2,500 goes a long way for families who cannot afford to fully pay for services.

“When you hear these people cry on the phone, they don’t have any means and knowing that you can help in just a little way - you got to do something,” Gomez said.

FEMA has been providing families with $10,000 to help cover funeral costs, however for some families it is not enough. Gomez said he is concerned that families already hit hard by the loss of a loved one will now have to grapple with an even bigger financial burden.

Operation H.O.P.E. has now partnered with the Perches Funeral Home group to help provide discounted funeral services. The funeral home provides reduced prices, while Operation H.O.P.E. provide an additional $1,000 toward the cost.

“A lot of people have lost their jobs, and it's very hard times because sometimes they can’t have what they want because you can’t have a big viewing or a mass or a lot of things. But we will always be here for our city and we are here to help,” said Salvador Perches, the president of Perches Funeral Home.

Perches told ABC-7 that the influx in deaths brought on by Covid-19 is something he never expected.

“I’ve never gone through something like this, you know? We went through some hard times in Juarez through the violent times from 2008 to 2012, but with this it has been overwhelming. We have to take care of the deceased and it has been very difficult to keep up with everything, we are taking care of everyone at the end when they need us,” Perches said.

If you would like to donate to Operation H.O.P.E., you can follow this link.