A program begun in St. Louis four years ago to provide proper burials to homeless veterans has spread to more than ten cities and has provided military burials to about 150 people. More than 30 of those burials have been in the St. Louis region. The Homeless Veterans Burial Program steps in when family members cannot afford to pay for the burial. The funeral industry picks up some of the costs, including that of a casket. The federal Veterans Affairs Department estimates there are more than five-thousand homeless veterans in Missouri.
