Grief Support

We Honor Veterans

In 2023, Schoedinger began the journey of becoming an exceptional funeral home for serving veterans and their families. This journey included applying for and becoming a Founding Community Partner in the We Honor Veterans program.

“We Honor Veterans empowers end-of-life care partners to meet the unique needs of America's Veterans and their families.” We Honor Veterans website

During the process, we learned that we were already doing so many great things for veterans and their families, including:

  • Providing military branch flags at funeral and memorial services
  • Draping the bodies of veteran loved ones when taking them into our care
  • Assisting families with applications for veteran funeral and burial benefits
  • Engaging with and supporting local veteran-centric organizations
  • Adding military branch emblem magnets on the sides of hearses traveling to the cemetery
  • Having a company officer on the board of Honor Flight 
  • Participating with our local cemeteries with Wreaths Across America

As we progressed through the process of becoming a four-star funeral service provider, we made some changes that enhanced what we were already doing:

  • Installed veteran dedicated parking spaces at all our locations
  • Trained location experts in veteran funeral and burial benefits, ensuring that every family that walks through our doors will receive all the honors and recognition to which they are entitled
  • Engaged with local Hospice Volunteer Service Managers and Coordinators to enhance their We Honor Veterans programs
  • Supported local veteran support organizations (MASH Pantry) to provide:* Food and personal care items through local drives* A “cookout” for previously homeless veterans living in an aggregate housing building* Full Thanksgiving dinners for disadvantaged veteran families* Christmas presents and groceries for disadvantaged veteran families
  • Supported our local cemeteries Memorial Day ceremonies by coordinating with a local hospice to provide boxed lunches for all in attendance

Through the hard work and dedication of all our staff, we made great changes to how we serve veterans and their families. In addition, in partnership with local hospices and VA geriatric social services, the Director of Community Relations and Education (Julie Olds, MMC, CT, CFC) helped to re-establish the Ohio Hospice Veteran Partnership.

“Hospice-Veteran Partnerships (HVP) are coalitions of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities, community hospices, State Hospice Organizations, and others working together to ensure that excellent care at the end of life is available for our nation’s Veterans and their families. These coalitions may be community-based or statewide and may function independently or within an existing structure. HVP is a national program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Hospice and Palliative Care Initiative. ” We Honor Veterans website

It is truly an honor to be recognized as a four-star We Honor Veterans funeral home – the only four-star funeral home in the entire state of Ohio. Our staff is dedicated to providing the best possible care and services to the veterans and their families of our Central Ohio community. To learn more about the We Honor Veterans program, visit their website at https://www.wehonorveterans.org/.