HOUSTON, May 26, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- This Memorial Day, Service Corporation International (NYSE:SCI), North America’s largest provider of funeral and cemetery services, and its brand, Dignity Memorial, proudly recognize the courage and selflessness of those who serve our country through its Homeless Veterans Burial Program and Public Servants Program. Since 2000, Dignity Memorial has provided more than 3,000 no-cost burial and funeral services for homeless veterans and first responders.
The Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Program serves eligible homeless and indigent veterans, providing a full burial ceremony with military honors in a VA cemetery or a Dignity Memorial network cemetery in 32 states across the country. On March 30, 2016, the company participated in the nation’s largest full military honors service for 42 unclaimed veterans in Phoenix, AZ.
The Dignity Memorial Public Servants Program was created to provide honorable tributes, at no cost, for career and volunteer law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency services personnel who fall in the line of duty. The program helps families deal with the emotional and financial burdens associated with the sudden loss of a loved one. In addition to providing burial services, the program also offers extended grief counseling services to family members.
Additionally, Dignity Memorial cemeteries and funeral homes around the country are celebrating Memorial Day by hosting events to honor both current members of the military and fallen soldiers. These patriotic programs focus on military sacrifice and commemoration of our fallen military heroes.
Highlights of Dignity Memorial tributes planned across the country this Memorial Day include:
- Memorial Oaks Funeral Home in Houston will hold a tribute ceremony featuring a live orchestra and gospel quartet, a horse-drawn cortege and flyover of vintage aircraft.
- In Chicago, Rosehill Cemetery, along with AMVETS Post #243, will host the 51st Annual Memorial Day Parade and Tribute.
- Dignity Memorial providers in Phoenix have planned a city-wide Memorial Day event with tributes, such as an appearance by the Honor Guard from American Legion Post 1 and an honorary flyover at the eight Dignity Memorial cemeteries located throughout the city.
“It’s our great honor to provide these veterans and first responders with respectful, dignified funerals and burials befitting of their service,” said Michael R. Webb, President and Chief Operating Officer at SCI. “Memorial Day is a time of remembrance for those who died in service of our country and these programs are our way of honoring their memory, and thanking them and their families for their sacrifice.”
For more information about SCI’s Homeless Veterans Burial Program and Public Servants Program, visit www.dignitymemorial.com.
About Service Corporation International
Service Corporation International (NYSE:SCI), headquartered in Houston, Texas, is North America’s leading provider of deathcare products and services. As of March 31, 2016, we operated 1,522 funeral service locations and 468 cemeteries (including 262 combination locations), which are geographically diversified across 45 states, 8 Canadian provinces, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Through its businesses, SCI markets the Dignity Memorial® brand which offers assurance of quality, value, caring service and exceptional customer satisfaction. For more information about Service Corporation International, please visit www.sci-corp.com. For more information about Dignity Memorial, please visit www.dignitymemorial.com. As used herein, “SCI” or the “Company” refers to Service Corporation International and all of its affiliated companies.