Apr 23, 2012
On a rainy winter day in Portland, Ore., veterans, active-duty military personnel, local leaders and community members gathered to honor the life and service of Navy Chief Petty Officer Stevenson Roy. Few of those in attendance knew Roy. He passed away with no family and no place to call home.
Despite Roy’s challenges in life, the Dignity Memorial® Homeless Veterans Burial Program made sure his service to his country was remembered with full military honors. Roy, who served in the Navy, was the 1,000th veteran to be served by this program.
Without assistance from the Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program and similar efforts, Roy and the scores of America’s forgotten veterans who pass away without a home, money and family would risk burial in pauper’s graves, without services or military honors.
Since its inception in 2000, the program has provided qualified homeless veterans with honorable burials in VA or state cemeteries. The program is a cooperative effort among Dignity Memorial funeral, cremation and cemetery service providers, local medical examiners and coroners, VA, VFW and other veterans advocates.
The Dignity Memorial network is a proud partner of VFW. It has assisted, free of charge, thousands of VFW members secure VA burial benefits through local funeral homes.
Dignity Memorial funeral providers also offer a free, informative brochure called 10 Important Facts About Your VA Burial Benefits.
To learn more about the Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program, click here.