Wreaths Across America: Is it Legit or a Scam?

You might recently have been seeing the ads for the charity Wreaths Across America as their annual seasonal push begins to get a green Maine balsam wreath laid on the grave of every American veteran.

They ask fifteen dollars for each wreath. This information is given on their offical website under their “Financials: “Each sponsored wreath costs $15, with $5 being allowed to the fundraising program that is paid back to our many fundraising partners including Legion Posts, VFW’s and Auxiliaries, Civil Air Patrol Squadrons, school groups, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and other national non-profits like Easter Seals.”

So if those other beneficiaries of your donation are entities you would like to help foster, there’s a plus.

People who would prefer the entirety of their donations to benefit living U.S. veterans might want to consider donating to charities such as Wounded Warriors Family Support or some of the other worthy causes listed here: https://www.cnbc.com/2014/11/14/top-10-charities-that-support-veterans.html

I’m certainly not knocking the gesture of remembering someone’s service with a memorial wreath, but Americans should not forget that an average of twenty American veterans a day commit suicide, and many of these deaths can be attributable to P.T.S.D. and other problems with which former military personnel struggle. Many of the charities linked above work directly with living veterans and their families on these issues.