LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Ashes in a plastic bag.
That's how someone's remains were recently given to the Indigent Burial Program at Catholic Charities of Louisville.
It's a longtime program that gives Louisvillians a proper burial at Meadow View Cemetery, even if loved ones can't afford it.
Former Deputy Coroner Buddy Dumeyer created the Indigent Burial Program, and Catholic Charities took it over last year after Metro Council approved funding.
“We believe in dignity in death,” Burial Coordinator Matt Whisman said. “To be in a position where you can help someone at their most vulnerable, a lot of people find that really rewarding. That's why I do it."
Whisman still finds that true after years of volunteering, and one year as burial coordinator.
But even he knows how heartbreaking the job can be; two weeks ago, on Oct. 5, Louisville Metro Police handed Whisman a yellow Dollar General bag filled with ashes.
A passerby saw an urn in a dumpster and wanted to do what they thought was the right thing by scattering them.
Soon after, that person realized that wasn't the best decision, so they bagged what they could, and brought the ashes to LMPD.
"I can't say things surprised me anymore, but it's difficult to think that, you know, someone ended up in a dumpster,” Whisman said. “In this situation, it's just hard to track down family, you know, hard to make sense of how this person got to this point.”
Whisman said they haven't found the person's family yet, but they will bury their ashes in the coming weeks.
“Everyone has a different journey, but you know, at least with our program, it is dignified and respectful,” he said.
Whisman said there are only 148 spots left in Meadow View Cemetery, so he's counting on Metro Council to soon find a new location for those who need these services.
Lisa DeJaco Crutcher, CEO of Catholic Charities of Louisville, said the council has been looking at other places for a while now.
"I think sometimes people are a little worried about, you know, what that might look like if that were in their neighborhood,” Crutcher said. “If this proposal comes up in somebody's neighborhood, I hope that they would look at it and think that this is part of what makes us a great community instead of thinking we don't want to see that here."
Whisman said it's been a community effort thus far, and he sees that continuing.
“Just keep spreading the love and, you know, we'll keep making it happen,” he said.
Burials are held at the cemetery every Thursday.
The Indigent Burial Program will host an All Souls Day celebration on Nov. 3.
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