Photo Courtesy of Picssr/Emilio Guerra
For several years, Hess-Miller Funeral Home has provided funeral services free of charge for indigent veterans who have no next of kin.
By Forum Staff
U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Flushing) recently helped a borough funeral home receive reimbursements from the federal government for providing no-cost funerals for indigent veterans, according to Meng’s office.
Since 2008, Anthony Martino, owner and director of Hess-Miller Funeral Home in Middle Village, has provided funeral services free of charge for 150 destitute veterans who have no next of kin.
Since June 2015, Martino submitted 21 claims to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in an effort to recoup some of the funeral and burial expenses that he personally paid out of pocket. All of his claims were denied and placed under appeal.
Martino then reached out to Meng’s office. She intervened with the VA, urging the agency to take another look at Martino’s claims. As a result, all of them have been approved, Meng reported. Martino has received checks for 20 of the claims, which total $12,040, with one more still pending.
Martino spends $1,345 for each veteran’s funeral and is reimbursed for approximately half. He provides full military honors for each funeral, including a color guard and an American flag, as well as a coffin. He also arranges for a local florist to donate red, white, and blue ribbons and flowers for each veteran.
Prior to 2015, Martino said he received some reimbursements from the City’s Department of Social Services; but added that since the City’s rules changed, he started submitting claims to the VA.
“Anthony Martino has provided an honorable service to indigent veterans and we thank him for his thoughtful contributions,” said Meng. “I was troubled to learn that his efforts to receive reimbursements for some of the costs got stuck in the federal bureaucracy, but pleased that we were able to help arrange for his claims to be approved. I thank the VA for being responsive to my request for his generous efforts.”
