A key solidarity tool. But, the field is becoming overcrowded and confusing
Community solidarity fund networks have become over the years, a powerful and effective solidarity mechanism for our communities in North America. They allow to provide a dignified last send off to members of our communities who decease, regardless of their fortune or legal status. However, the field is becoming to some extent very crowded, confusing and very competitive. Some networks are informal, others are registered nonprofit corporations well structured with clear rules of engagement and services.
SOBATAM is in the latter category. They are registered in the state of Maryland. They were officially launched in March 2022. The first benefit activation took place in the end of June 2022.
Revolutionizing the field
They claim to be the startup of the Solidarity fund networks whose intent is to revolutionize the field by addressing some of the most persistent frustrations of current networks, which result to an overall mediocre user experience. For that purpose they are committed to providing the highest level of transparency and good governance, and the best in class membership experience by making the membership flexible, affordable, portable and always on.
Built from the ground up to serve our communities in Canada and the USA on equal footing
SOBATAM is the first network to cover both Canada and USA, which was designed with input from large segments of our communities in the USA and Canada and where individuals and groups in Canada can join without having to do so through a USA based group. They are also the first to offer a portable membership. After 2 years, a member can keep his/her membership even if he/she permanently moved outside North America (USA & Canada). They want to leverage technologies to ensure 24×7 availability and the most efficient operating model. The basic benefit is $15000.
Going beyond basic death benefits to strengthen the community
The promoters of the SOBATAM project are aware of the fact that ensuring a dignified last send off is just one of the tools that help to strengthen our communities. They plan to keep expanding their services as their network grows including general education on life insurance and how to secure wealth in North America, agreements with funeral homes, discount and other programs that may be of interest to their members.
For more information checkout https://sobatam-na.org.