Hidalgo County residents can get help with funeral expenses through the Health and Human Services Department's Funeral Assistance Program.

Assistance is awarded on a case-by-case basis. It covers a burial or cremation, a basic container, a two-hour viewing or funeral services during weekdays, and transportation.

"Minimum of $200 for cremation, and it can pay up to $1,200 with a county-contracted funeral home, which is Ric Brown [Family Funeral Home]," Hidalgo County Health and Human Services Eligibility Specialist Yesenia Guzman said. "It eases their pain to be able to say, 'I'm going to put my loved one to rest.'"

The program is not a cash payout or a reimbursement to the funeral home, and there are several requirements to apply.

Click here for more information on the program.