At-Need Assistance

 At-need assistance means professional help right when you need it most – when a death has occurred. If you call Christy Ann Saracino at the time of a loved one’s passing, she will immediately step in to guide and support you. She will help coordinate the funeral arrangements with a funeral home (either one you choose or one she helps you select), arrange transportation for your loved one, and walk you through decisions about the service, burial or cremation, etc. Christy basically handles the entire funeral planning process on short notice, keeping you informed and comfortable with each step. This allows your family to focus on each other, while she manages the logistics and paperwork during this difficult time.

If you already have a preferred funeral home, Christy will work closely with them to carry out the arrangements. If you haven’t chosen a funeral home, that’s perfectly fine – Christy will help you find one that meets your needs. She works with many reputable funeral homes throughout New Jersey. Based on your location, cultural or religious needs, and budget, Christy can recommend a trusted funeral home and even make initial contact on your behalf. Her goal is to ensure you have the right partner for services. In any case, you are not restricted to a particular funeral home by working with Christy; she’s there to facilitate your wishes, whether that means collaborating with your long-time local funeral home or helping you select a suitable one in the moment.

Yes. Christy is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for emergency at-need situations. You can reach out evenings, weekends, even in the middle of the night – she understands that death can occur at any time and immediate assistance is crucial. When you call, you will get prompt guidance. Christy (or her on-call support) will quickly start the process of helping your family, whether that means dispatching a team to transport your loved one or simply giving compassionate advice on next steps. You can feel confident that whenever you need help, Christy will be there to answer the phone and take action.

Yes, she can. Christy Ann Saracino has experience coordinating funerals in cases where a death occurs away from home. If your loved one passes away in another state (or even another country), Christy will guide you through the process. She can work with funeral directors in that location to handle the immediate care and then arrange to bring your loved one back to New Jersey if desired. Alternatively, if the plan is to have the services and burial/cremation out of state, Christy can liaise with the appropriate funeral home there to make sure everything is done according to your wishes. Dealing with out-of-state logistics can be complicated, but Christy will manage the details – including transportation permits, flight or vehicle transport arrangements, and coordination between facilities. You’ll have a single point of contact (Christy) helping you, so you’re not left figuring it all out on your own.

There is no additional cost to your family for enlisting Christy’s help. Whether you work with Christy or go directly to a funeral home, the funeral expenses should be very similar. Christy doesn’t add any extra fees for her at-need coordination – her compensation comes through the funeral home’s professional fee (as a referral or consulting funeral director) and is built into the normal pricing. The total you pay for the funeral arrangements will be comparable to the funeral home’s standard charges. In return, you get personalized assistance and an advocate making sure you only pay for what you need and want. Christy is transparent about costs and will even help you compare options to stay within budget. You can rest assured that using her services won’t inflate your bill; it will simply make the process easier on you. (For more on how Christy is compensated, see our full FAQ on working with Christy.)