Wreaths Across America (WAA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded to continue and expand the annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992. The organization’s mission – Remember, Honor, Teach – is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at Arlington, as well as at thousands of veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond.

Empathy is the Remedy started working with WAA as an official fundraising group in 2021 and in 2022, WAA asked us to be the new Location Coordinator for the Riverside National Cemetery (RNC), the largest and busiest cemetery managed by the US Department of Veterans Affairs - National Cemetery Administration. There are over 250,000 veterans laid to rest at this location. We specifically chose to take on this location as we uncovered that it needed the most help. Not only is it the largest location, but only about 3% or less of the veterans interred there were being Honored and Remembered with a wreath when we first started looking into partnering with WAA (that was only about 3000-4200 wreaths on average being placed there annually at the time) . In 2022 and 2023, we helped place over 10,000 wreaths at RNC. Our goal is to raise that percentage and remember as many of the 250K fallen Veterans resting there as possible.

2024’s theme is “Live with Purpose” draws inspiration from the remarkable stories of Wreaths Across America volunteers whose impactful work in their communities is a beacon of inspiration for all. Wreaths Across America will be sharing a monthly video series and corresponding lesson plans starting in February that speak to the 10 bouquets that make up a veteran’s wreath – these are the 10 attributes or characteristics that WAA believes define our nation’s servicemembers – a symbol of honor, respect and victory. 

“Over the course of the last year, and then especially on the escort to Arlington last December, I listened to people who had gone through great adversity, and they'd taken that adversity and turned it around as a call to action to spend the rest of their lives making sure that every day was meaningful and that they lived with purpose,” said WAA Executive Director Karen Worcester. “For me, to live with purpose is a mindset.”

Please take part and help us with our cause by sponsoring wreaths, volunteering, or spreading the word.

To find out more about sponsoring, volunteering, or how to spread the word, click on the buttons down below.