Financial Help for Headstones and Monuments for Children

In response to a question in the comments, I went looking for places that offer financial help in purchasing a headstone for an infant.  While most states legally spell out the level of government which is responsible for burying those too poor to afford their own burial, tombstones and memorials are outside the barest necessities, and not covered.  But private organizations in some localities attempt to fill this void.

In Georgia, Children's Burial Assistance will help some expenses for children's funerals in the state, and sometimes outside of it IF--and that's a big if--there are the funds.  In central Florida, the Bradley Summersill Foundation offers financial help for children's headstones.  Their contact information is:

2460 Peterson Road, Apopka, FL 32703,phone: (407) 733-1062.  The Josh Rojas Foundation works to give children in the Rochester, New York area headstones.  The Conner Kirby Infant Memorial Foundation provides help for infants in the states of Pennsylvania and Maryland.

The Northern New York Community Foundation has a fund for gravestones for children in their service area, via the "Forget Me Not" program.     

For more on the program, contact the NNYCF.

On the national level, there is one organization I found that does not seem to have a geographic limit, and that's the Dempsey Burdick Memorial Foundation.  A few families per year are chosen to receive a memorial stone for their loved one.  Again, this is dependent on availability of funds.

How to Get a Military Honors Funeral

We have written about getting assistance for the expense of a funeral, and veterans burial allowances.  However, veterans who were other than dishonorably discharged and were killed in combat or served their full tour of duty are eligible for military honors at their funeral.  The basic elements of this are the playing of taps, the flag folding ceremony, and the flag presentation.  These are provided free of charge at the funeral of an eligible veteran. Afterwards, the flag is given to the veteran's next of kin.  If there are no next of kin, a friend may apply to receive the flag. 

Other elements--the caisson, rifle detail, pall bearers, color guard--are available if there are resources. To arrange for military honors at the funeral of a veteran, notify the funeral director.  There must be 48 hours notice for a military honors funeral.

Headstones for the unmarked graves of military veterans are also available as a benefit.   A marker or medallion (to fix on the headstone of a privately purchased headstone) may also be available for those who have died after 1990.  To find out about cemetery headstones, markers or medallions, call 1-800-697-6947, Monday through Friday, 8-5, Eastern Time.