Giving Back: Farr Law Firm Participates in Wreaths Across America
In an effort to show support for veterans and honor their families this holiday season, the Farr Law Firm participated in the 5th Annual Wreaths Across America. Wreaths Across America is a nonprofit organization best known for its annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery and 850 other military cemeteries across the nation and overseas.
Remembering those who served our country in the spirit of the holidays brought thousands of veterans, family members and active duty service members together to participate in the event. This year, Farr Law Firm sponsored 10 wreaths on National Wreaths Across America Day, Dec. 14, 2013. These wreaths were laid at Arlington National Cemetery by thousands of volunteers, including our own Grace Everitt (pictured above) – one of our Medicaid Paralegals.
“The mission is to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our rights as American citizens,” said Caroline Kelly, one of the project’s leaders. The green balsam fir wreaths with red bows are purchased and donated by individuals, businesses and community groups, such as The Farr Law Firm. This year, volunteers and family members placed more than 120,000 remembrance wreaths on headstones throughout Arlington National Cemetery.
During the holiday season and every day, we honor military veterans and the sacrifices they have made and are making to preserve our liberty and freedom. Many veterans and their families are unaware that laws have been passed to entitle them to special benefits and pensions, including the Veterans Aid and Attendance pension.
Veterans Aid Attendance pension benefits are intended to be a form of financial assistance to meet the care needs of veterans and their surviving spouses. See below for details about eligibility:
- If you are younger than age 65, then you must be completely disabled in order to receive this benefit.
- Those over 65 do not have to be disabled. However, the veteran or spouse must be in need of regular aid and attendance due to inability to dress oneself, feed oneself, loss of coordination or other conditions, as described on our website. The need must be scheduled and ongoing aid and attendance from someone else, but does not need to be 24-hour care.
- You or your spouse must have served on active duty for at least 90 days, at least one day of which occurred during a period designated as wartime (see our website). There must have been a non-dishonorable discharge as well. Single surviving spouses of such veterans are also eligible.
For more details about Veteran’s Aid and Attendance and other veterans’ benefits, please watch this video. If you would like to sign up to receive Evan Farr’s Aid Attendance 4-Part Mini Series via e-mail, please click here.
Are you a veteran, a veteran’s spouse, or a family caregiver for a veteran? As an Accredited Attorney with the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs, I understand both the Veterans Aid and Attendance Benefit and the Medicaid program and the interaction between both benefit programs. We work with veterans and their spouses to evaluate whether they qualify for The Veterans Aid and Attendance Benefit and/or Medicaid, and we deal with all the paperwork. Learn more at http://www.VirginiaElderLaw.com and call us at our Virginia Elder Law Fairfax office at 703-691-1888 or at our Virginia Elder Law Fredericksburg office at 540-479-1435 to make an appointment for a no-cost consultation.
Thank you for serving our country and best wishes to all for a happy and healthy holiday!