According to a survey by the Department of Veterans Affairs, only 29 percent of veterans said they understood their burial benefits available.

Your funeral home can play a vital role in educating your local veterans and their families and dispel common misunderstandings of burial benefits.

What better way to share this info than with Veterans Day events at your funeral home?

With Veterans Day events, you can educate veterans on their burial benefits, strengthen your connection with your community, and show that your funeral home cares.

Here are 6 Veterans Day events to consider hosting this year!

1. Share the Benefits of Preplanning

Since many veterans don’t know about their burial benefits, it’s likely that they also don’t know about how helpful preplanning can be for them and their families.

Invite veterans and families into your funeral home with a tried-and-true preplanning seminar so you can learn about veterans’ burial benefits, the advantages of planning ahead, and all the options available to them. The education you provide can be a great opportunity for them to get their wishes in writing and plan ahead to protect their loved ones.

You can cover a variety of topics, including:

– 5 Key Veteran Burial Benefits You Should Know

– Why Plan Ahead for Funeral Wishes?

– Everything You Need to Know About Government-Issued Veteran Headstones

– 130+ Questions Your Family Will Have to Answer After a Death

By informing attendees about their preplanning options and burial benefits, you can position yourself as a reliable source of information and support. When you build relationships, you also build trust with families, and they’ll be more likely to turn to you with their questions and needs.

2. Honor Loved Ones with a Remembrance Day

Some families and veterans in your community may have lost loved ones who were servicemen and women. You can give attendees a chance to honor their friends and family members and share their memories on a Remembrance Day.

Organize a remembrance service, candlelight vigil, memorial morning, or another event to create a space for healing within your community. Make your Remembrance Day an annual event so families can look forward to it each year (and promote brand loyalty for your funeral home!).

3. Show Appreciation for Veterans Over a Meal

Few things bring people together like food, so host a breakfast or lunch at your funeral home to show appreciation for local veterans.

This heartfelt gesture is a great way to welcome veterans and their families into your funeral home and meet your staff. You can combine this idea with the first idea and turn it into a preplanning event with food so veterans can learn about their burial benefits and discover how you can serve them.

Create lasting connections with local veterans over a delicious meal – just make sure you have enough food!

4. Write and Deliver Meaningful Thank You cards

Another way you can show your gratitude is by writing thank you cards to local veterans and asking your community to join you!

Along with families, you and your staff can write notes of appreciation for all the deserving veterans in your community. A few veterans may attend, too, so focus on educating them about their benefits. Then invite them back to your funeral home to plan ahead.

Once the cards have been filled out, you and families can deliver them to your local Veterans Affairs office. This is a great chance for you to show families that you genuinely care for your community.

5. Host a Veterans Support Group

Local veterans and families unfamiliar with your funeral home may not know about your heart for service or dedication to their well-being.

Reinforce your commitment to your community by hosting a support group to give veterans a safe place to meet and share their experiences. You can make this a recurring meeting so participants will look forward to it.

>>> Learn more about the benefits of joining a grief support group here.

Plus, the more meetings the group has at your funeral home, the more chances you’ll have to visit with them.

6. Organize a Trip to Visit Your Local Memorial

Getting out into your community is just as important as getting families to visit your funeral home. In honor of Veterans Day, visit a local memorial to connect with families.

You can have families meet you at the memorial and provide flowers to attendees so everyone has a chance to pay their respects. Doing these small acts can position your funeral home as a pillar in your community and highlight your investment in families.

Need one last idea? Combine numbers 3 and 6! Start your event at your local memorial, then invite families back to your funeral home for a meal where they can learn more about you.

Serve those who have always served us.

Use these Veterans Day events to honor those who have bravely served our country with an event to remember. Use these ideas fully or as a starting point to educate veterans, build trust with families, and showcase your commitment to your community.

But before that can happen, you must successfully promote your event to ensure a great turnout.

Our digital marketing packages can help with that. Learn more here or request a demo below to find the perfect plan for your funeral home.

Note: Please ensure you follow local and/or state laws when planning and marketing events.