Sikh Community Crematorium: A project by 1313 Foundation

Support 1313 Foundation’s Compassionate Crematorium Project

Welcome to the 1313 Foundation’s GoFundMe page. Our mission is rooted in the timeless teachings of Guru Nanak, emphasizing compassion, dignity, and service to humanity. We are not driven by profit; rather, our focus is on creating a sanctuary where every individual, regardless of background, receives the respect they deserve, especially during life’s most profound moments.

The Need: A Dignified Farewell

In Whatcom County, Washington State, our Sikh community comprises approximately 15,000 members. Yet, we face a critical gap: the absence of a community-based crematorium that aligns with our faith’s traditions. The existing facility operates on different religious practices, often prioritizing profit over compassion. Families are left without the support they need during their most vulnerable moments.

Our Vision: A Place of Compassion

Imagine a serene space—a place where the flicker of a flame honors lives well-lived, where families find solace, and where dignity prevails. We envision a place where compassion reigns supreme, where no one profits from death, and where every farewell is dignified. Your support will help us build more than bricks and mortar; it will weave compassion into the very fabric of our community. The 1313 Foundation aims to create just that: a compassionate crematorium that provides traditional last rites, regardless of economic status.

Here’s how your support will make a difference:

1. Building the Facility: Your donation will contribute to the construction of a dignified crematorium. We envision a space that reflects our values, where rituals are performed with reverence and love.

2. Traditional Funeral Services: Families should not bear the burden of navigating unfamiliar customs during their grief. With your help, we’ll offer traditional funeral services, ensuring that every soul receives the respect they deserve.

3. Supporting Those in Need: Economic disparities should never prevent someone from saying a heartfelt goodbye to their loved ones. Your generosity will provide financial assistance to families who cannot afford funeral expenses.

Our Sister’s Journey: A Call for Compassion

In the quiet of dawn, as the world still slumbers, a family gathers in sorrow. Our beloved sister, a beacon of love at the tender age of 47, embarked on her final journey, leaving behind a legacy of warmth and wisdom. She was a mother whose embrace felt like home, a wife whose partnership was steadfast, a friend whose laughter was infectious, and a mentor whose guidance lit the path for many.

Her battle with cancer was fought with grace and courage, but it was not the illness that left us feeling helpless—it was the cold embrace of a system that lacked compassion. In our moment of profound grief, we sought solace in rituals that honor the departed, only to find ourselves in a place that felt alien to our faith and values.

The funeral home, with its scant seats and sterile walls, offered no comfort. The sacred rite of washing her body, a final act of love and respect in our tradition, was denied to us. The body lift, broken and uncared for, forced us to carry her physical form with our own trembling hands, a stark reminder of the facility’s indifference.

The journey to the crematorium was a gauntlet of sorrow, a mile-long trek that weighed heavily on our hearts. Our elders, our young, all shouldered the casket, a symbol of our collective mourning, while others, unable to walk the distance, were left behind, their goodbyes whispered to the wind.

And then, the casket—a wooden vessel, not for safe passage but for flames. A needless expense, a $3,000 tribute to profit over empathy, reduced to ashes alongside our sister. It was not just wood that burned that day, but also a piece of our faith, our hope for dignity in death.

This is why we stand before you, united in our resolve to create the 1313 Foundation’s Community Crematorium—a sanctuary where every soul is honored, where traditions are upheld, and where the final farewell is a testament to a life well-lived.

Your support will help us build more than just a structure; it will help us weave the fabric of compassion into the very end of life’s tapestry. Together, we can ensure that no family endures what we have, that every last rite is performed with reverence, and that the legacy of our loved ones is celebrated with dignity.

Join us in this heartfelt mission. Join Us in This Compassionate Journey

Let us create a legacy—a sanctuary where farewells are graced with dignity, where tears are met with understanding, and where every goodbye is a gentle whisper of respect and love. Together, we can build a place that transcends profit margins—a place where compassion meets eternity.

Our Goal: $2,000,000

Organizer: 1313 Foundation – a nonprofit organization - Harmit S. Gill, Blaine, WA