For Ashley Cowan, whose 16-week-old daughter died accidentally while in the care of a babysitter in 2019, that sorrow has turned into a mission to show that her child’s life had a purpose beyond the short time she was here.

“If I had known my sweet, sweet Remi would leave this world so soon, I would’ve kissed her more, told her I loved her more, held her more and cherished every moment more, but I didn’t, which is a struggle within herself,” Cowan wrote.

She was visiting her daughter’s grave site when she began walking through the cemetery, noticing the number of temporary grave makers on so many of the plots.

“So there I stood, numb, in the middle of that cemetery, approximately 250 yards away from where my sweet Remi Joan’s body lies, wondering how I could ensure I fulfilled the Lord’s purpose for my daughter’s short life here on earth. I prayed, ‘direct me, oh Lord. Use my sweet Remi as a vessel and help me spread your goodness to others,'” Cowan shared in explaining how Remi’s Purpose was created.

KAREN VIBERT-KENNEDY/Sun-Gazette Ashley Cowan, left, and daughter Juliana Willis, right, visit at the gravesite of Ashley's daughter, Remi Cowan in the Montoursville Cemetery.

“I guess my focus I would say started with kids. That’s kind of where it began the moment I felt like a calling on my life to help with final arrangements in the children’s section,” she said.

“But it wasn’t until I actually started to establish the organization and get the 501-C and apply for different things, that I realized how much it’s more or less the adolescent and young adults and those up to like 50 (years of age) that really have nothing saved, nothing set aside,” she said.

“If they die, they don’t have funds. A lot of them are middle class people or low income people that are just getting by as it is,” she added.

According to information online, the average cost of a funeral and burial in Pennsylvania is between $7,000 and $10,000, depending on location and extent of burial services. Cremations are less, but still a struggle for families that have no burial funds set aside.

Cowan pointed out that when a child dies, people are more likely to donate or help the family with the burial, so often they do not face the financial difficulties that people with loved ones in that mid-range do.

Plus, in the midst of dealing with the death of a loved one, to have to worry about whether there are funds for the actual burial can be overwhelming.

“It inhibits you from being able to process anything. I think it halts the grieving process in itself and kind of places a financial barrier on people,” Cowan said.

Remi’s Purpose was created to help those people. Since she began, Cowan said they have helped around 50 families. Typically they give about $500 to $2,500, but usually around $1,000 toward the cost of final expenses.

Although the non-profit was created in 2019, Cowan admitted that at that time right after Remi’s death, she was in a “really bad place.”

“The sorrow kind of consumed me to the point that I didn’t want to do anything,” she said.

But now, the organization is moving forward and Cowan is hoping to expand in order to help more people.

“I want to reach out to everyone possible. You know, cemeteries, social services, funeral homes and help just as much as we can,” she said.

“If the funding comes, then I would love to be able to help more and more people because funeral costs only increase every day. There’s millions out there that need help with funds,” she added.

The need is growing, and Cowan shared that one funeral director told her that he could call every day because he needs that much help.

According to the non-profit’s statement of purpose the financial aspect is not all they do. It was “founded to provide community service by providing financial assistance and intervention support to family and friends of departed loved ones in negotiating final arrangements and expenses. Such arrangements may include, but are not limited to, funeral costs, caskets, memorials, interments and cremation services.”

So, it’s not just the financial aspects of the burial, but also the emotional costs of navigating the process that Remi’s Purpose can help with.

One thing that Cowan wants is for people to know her Remi.

“I want people to know her…I believe that the Lord allows and has used her as a vessel to grow His kingdom and I believe that glory is His. I just want that to be heard and known,” she said.

“My Remi is the reason maybe the organization started, but I know that it’s because of Him that it is where it is today and it will go someplace because of Him and I want Him to receive glory in all of this,” she added.

For more information about Remi’s Purpose visit their website at:Remispurpose.org or email:remispurpose@gmail.com.