Who We Are
No one wants to talk about death, yet it remains an unspoken concern for many of us. Memorial Societies and Funeral Consumer Alliances do talk about death and provide vital information enabling people to make well-informed decisions that can bring them and their families peace of mind. Beginning early in this century, these societies were created throughout the United States to offer simple, respectful, and affordable funeral arrangements. The Funeral Consumers Alliance of Champaign County (FCACC) is an affiliate of the Funeral Consumer Alliance, a federation of non-profit funeral information societies. The FCACC is currently the only such organized society in downstate Illinois. We were formally established in the early 1970’s to help individuals plan for death with dignity, to promote simplicity in funeral and memorial services, to acquaint them with options, and to avoid unjustified costs. We are a 501(c)(3) organization (FEIN 37-1019136), operating as a public charity under IRS regulations. We are financed strictly by donations. We have no paid staff. A board of nine volunteers runs the organization.
What We Do
In recent years, the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Champaign County has broadened its interests to provide information about a spectrum of end-of-life planning decisions applicable in the state of Illinois. Among the topics we have investigated, updated and reported are:
(1) hospices
(2) final arrangements check lists for families of decedents
(3) funerals and memorial services
(4) cremations and “green” burials
(5) fees and services of local funeral homes, crematories and cemeteries
(6) advance medical directives
– living wills
– durable powers of attorney for health care
– patient directives concerning withholding, withdrawing, or terminating life sustaining treatments
– policies and practices of local health care providers
(7) self deliverance and assisted suicide
(8) information about relevant legislation which affects the concluding part of life.
How We Function
The Funeral Consumers Alliance of Champaign County operates with a nine member Board of Directors who serve without compensation. These directors maintain this website and report on local funeral cost surveys and other timely topics. We also organize the annual meeting, which features expert speakers and offers informative publications. The board welcomes suggestions from supporters for future meetings and areas of investigation. There are increasing numbers of options concerning end-of-life planning. As people live longer, at some point they may lose their ability to make these decisions. All of us, young and old, face the inevitability of death and should have plans and directives which reflect our wishes. We invite you to support the Funeral Consumers Alliance of Champaign County and explore these important matters with us.
Board of Directors
Phyllis Croisant, President (2024)
Robert Switzer, Vice President (2026)
Laura Baker, Secretary (2026)
Sandy Volk, Treasurer (2025)
Jane Anderson (2025)
Alice Berkson (2024)
David Dorman (2024)
Anne Robin (2026)
Kristin Solberg (2025)
(Year of term expiration is given in parentheses)