VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — With more than three months to go, Wreaths Across America is on track to raise enough money to meet its target to fund 2.1 million to 2.2 million wreaths this holiday season.
But it's getting harder every year. That's because the need for the number of wreaths grows each year, as more and more veterans pass away.
The Pew Research Center says the number of living veterans will continue to decline over the next 25 years. By 2046, the Department of Veterans Affairs estimates there will be around 12.5 million veterans, a decrease of about 35% from the current 19 million living vets.
Arlington National Cemetery currently conducts 27 to 30 interment services each weekday, and six to eight services on Saturdays.
"It's a challenge every year to raise enough money to be able to place a wreath on each grave, each gravestone. But that's something we think is a worthy cause and something we take very seriously," said Bre Kingsbury, of Virginia Beach, the Corporate Development and Community Relations Director for Wreaths Across America.
"Each wreath is $15," she said. "And it's not a taxpayer-funded program. Many people mistakenly believe that, being in the shadow of Washington, D.C., and the federal government. It is not. One hundred percent of our donations come from corporate and individual donors."
Wreaths Across America is a 501(c)(3) organization, with an Internal Revenue Service ruling year of 2018, and donations are tax-deductible.
National Wreaths Across America Day's mission is to remember, honor and teach.
The tradition dates back to 1992, and, is carried out by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, as well as at more than 2,500 additional locations in all 50 U.S. states, at sea and abroad.
This year's Wreaths Across America Day is December 17.