“We are very excited to be working with WeCareCard on this new crowdfunding prepaid MasterCard solution for the funeral industry and consumers.” - Rachel Zeldin, CEO of I’m Sorry to Hear.
Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) February 04, 2015
WeCareCard, an online fundraising platform that empowers individuals to raise money for a variety of life-changing causes, and I’m Sorry to Hear, the only dedicated marketplace that connects funeral professionals and consumers in an online destination, have partnered to promote awareness and offer online tools to pay for and raise funds for funeral expenses. Combined these two innovative companies aim to assist the needs of those left behind due to the death of a loved one.
Regardless of the scenario: sudden or expected, death is always sad and stressful for those left behind. Specifically, when pulling together final details and facing a heavy financial burden in a very quick period of time. With so few individuals willing to discuss their requests for final arrangements and even less who save anything for funeral or burial expenses, those remaining are not only left with grief, but also a lot of expenses.
Now there is a solution for those facing this unforeseeable burden – I’m Sorry to Hear and WeCareCard. While, I’m Sorry to Hear provides a grieving loved one an online destination to be an educated consumer and quickly connect with funeral professionals, WeCareCard allows family members and loved ones the ability to raise funds to support decisions made during the grieving process.
I’m Sorry to Hear stemmed from founder, Rachel Zeldin’s personal frustration in planning a funeral for a loved one. The time consuming process of blindly finding and contacting funeral homes to get basic information on services left her with the desire to create an online marketplace that connects the consumer directly to the industry in a similar way that you would have when planning a vacation or wedding. Her website creates a new way for families in North America to find and compare funeral homes, products and services by streamlining the collection of information. Thus, allowing families to make informed and expedited decisions about their own or a loved one’s final resting place.
Similarly, the idea of WeCareCard spurred from founder, Jessica Weiss’ experience as a former nurse who consistently witnessed first-hand financial hardships caused by unexpected medical bills and subsequent funeral arrangements. Combined, both websites deliver a simple, seamless, and secure way for consumers to make educated decisions and relieve the financial burden when dealing with the death of a family member.
WeCareCard's first-of-its-kind patent pending technology will fulfill a crowdfunding campaign’s financial component by loading funds onto a WeCareCard Prepaid MasterCard rather than the traditional fulfillment method of check, bank account deposit or PayPal. The WeCareCard Prepaid MasterCard is managed by FirstView Financial and issued by Metropolitan Commercial Bank (New York, NY). The card will be delivered to fundraisers early in their WeCareCard crowdfunding campaign and funds will be loaded throughout the duration of the campaign, helping fundraisers manage the expenses related to their cause directly, quickly and easily.
“After discussing Rachel’s vision for I’m Sorry to Hear and fully understanding the impact she wanted to make to those in need during the grieving process it makes perfect sense for our brands to align in this industry.” states Katharine Mobley, Chief Marketing Officer of WeCareCard.
“We are very excited to be working with WeCareCard on this new crowdfunding prepaid MasterCard solution for the funeral industry and consumers,” said Rachel Zeldin, CEO of I’m Sorry to Hear. “Together we hope to support the immediate financial needs of the family. We are thrilled we could partner to provide an end-to-end solution that will help reduce the financial burden of a funeral from families.”
Individuals and organizations interested in receiving funding through WeCareCard’s platform can click here to apply for consideration.
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About WeCareCard
WeCareCard is the first-ever online fundraising platform tied to a prepaid debit card that empowers people from around the nation to raise funds for a variety of life-changing causes, including setting up a funeral or memorial fund online. The cause-related fundraising solution delivers a simple, seamless and secure way to share stories, connect networks and gather immediate funds for those in need through the WeCareCard Prepaid MasterCard. This prepaid card serves as a money management tool and is welcomed at over 25 million MasterCard locations worldwide. For more information visit WeCareCard.com and follow @WeCareCard.
About I'm Sorry to Hear:
I'm Sorry To Hear is the premier online destination that connects funeral professionals and consumers in a dedicated online marketplace. The website offers a new and familiar way for families in North America to find, compare, and review funeral homes and other funeral products and services by streamlining the collection of information, allowing families to make informed and expedited decisions about their own or their loved one’s final resting place.
In addition to the robust search capabilities, funeral professionals can request testimonials in I’m Sorry to Hear’s proprietary review system to further enhance their online presence. Funeral homes have the option of participating with either a free Basic Profile, or a Premium Profile, which allows for increased customization and further visibility in the marketplace. More information can be found on the site’s Vendor page. To access your free profile at I’m Sorry to Hear, e-mail vendors(at)imsorrytohear(dot)com.
For more information on the company, visit imsorrytohear.com and follow @ImSorryToHear1.
About MasterCard
MasterCard, http://www.mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. We operate the world’s fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard’s products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Pioneers Blog and subscribe for the latest news.
About Metropolitan Commercial Bank
Metropolitan Commercial Bank, formerly Metropolitan National Bank, provides personal and business banking services. The company was founded in 1999 and is based in New York with branch locations in New York and Brooklyn, New York. Metropolitan Commercial Bank continues to grow in the prepaid card space as an issuer for an increasing number of programs. The range of prepaid cards being issued by Metropolitan Commercial Bank and the strategic partnership with a variety of program managers throughout the United States, places us at the forefront of this burgeoning industry. Metropolitan Commercial Bank operates as a subsidiary of Metropolitan Bank Holding Corp. For more information visit metropolitanbankny.com.
