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MUSIC EXECUTIVE SHANTI DAS RAISES OVER $20,000 IN JUST A FEW WEEKS OF LAUNCHING ‘MAY WE REST IN PEACE’ PHILANTHROPY

Funding Burials for Detroit’s Unclaimed Deceased, Nonprofit Has Raised Money to Cover 20 Burials Within 2 Months of Launching

DETROIT, MI (December 15, 2009) – Music industry veteran Shanti Das recently launched the nonprofit organization, “May WE Rest in Peace”, to give back to the city of Detroit, whose ongoing economic hardships have affected more than the city, the state, and its living residents. Just launched in October 2009, Das has thus far raised $20,000 to cover 20 burials in Detroit, with early support from artists such as Busta Rhymes, Akon, the Kid Rock Foundation in the name of Detroit Clothing Company, and other generous donors.

With 67 bodies and counting lying unclaimed in Detroit’s morgue freezer, CNNMoney gave light in October 2009 to another hardship resulting from these current dark economic times for Detroit. 67 of Detroit’s deceased, some who have been deceased for up to 5 years, were piling up in the morgue, with no timeline for burial due to the economic hardships of their loved ones and the exhausted budget of the city. Coming across this story online, former Universal/Motown Records music executive Shanti Das was struck to help out the city of Motown lay to rest their unclaimed deceased, and immediately launched “May WE Rest in Peace”.

Any type of burial can cost from $700 to several thousand dollars, and Das, who’s experienced her own loss of loved ones over the years, was well familiar with the financial cost and the kindness of others in helping her own family arrange a proper burial at such a challenging emotional time. Upon seeing the story on Detroit’s problem, Das immediately thought, “What if it was MY mother, father, or loved one lying there in the morgue and I couldn’t afford to properly lay them to rest??” Although she isn’t from Detroit, Das says, “There were just a lot of things that hit home for me, and I just wanted to immediately take action.”

Calling on family, friends and loved ones, Das raised immediate support for “May WE Rest in Peace”, raising $6,000 in just a few weeks of launching, with an outpouring of early support from recording artists such as Busta Rhymes, Akon, the Kid Rock Foundation in the name of Detroit Clothing Company, and numerous other generous donors, and was able to provide burials for 6 of Detroit’s unclaimed deceased within 6 weeks of the CNNMoney story.

Since the launch in October 2009, the endeavors of “May WE Rest in Peace” have been covered by CNNMoney and BET, and have now raised $20,000 to cover 20 burials in Detroit. The number of unburied bodies in Detroit is now down to 50. With the hardships of the officials in Detroit and its residents, Das is inspired by the response she has gotten, and is continuing her mission with “May WE Rest in Peace” to help ensure that Detroit and its deceased are not forgotten.

For more information or to make donations, please visit www.maywerestinpeace.org.