Every year, Wreaths Across America solicits donations to place wreaths on the graves of veterans across the country. The charity is poised to lay more than 28,700 wreaths across 85 sites in Utah on Dec. 14.
Still, as the nonprofit has expanded, the Military Times reported last year that questions have arisen about its relationship with its supplier, Worcester Wreath. Karen Worcester is executive director of the nonprofit, and her husband, Morrill Worcester, owns the wreath company. Both organizations are based in Maine and Karen Worcester does not claim a salary.
A wreath sponsorship costs $17, with $12 covering the cost of the wreath.
In 2023, Wreaths Across America brought in $37.8 million in donations, according to forms filed with the Internal Revenue Service. It paid $27.6 million to Worcester Wreath.
“It's a physical thing that needs to be sourced, made, packaged and shipped. So there's a cost associated with that,” said Amber Caron, director of communications for Wreaths Across America.
In some cases, the remaining $5 supports Wreaths Across America’s other programs, which include a mobile museum and an internet radio station. Other times, the money goes to local nonprofits that partner with Wreaths Across America to sell sponsorships.
This year, those Utah partners include Civil Air Patrol squadrons, Boy Scouts and local chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution, among others.
“We don't have to do that. The $5 back program is not a required thing. It's something that we do because we want to,” she said.
Some Utah locations, like Portage in Box Elder County, will be ceremony-only. That means Wreaths Across America provided eight ceremonial wreaths free of charge and asked that volunteers hold the ceremony to honor veterans.
Others, in Cedar City, St. George and Salt Lake City, for example, have brought in thousands of wreath sponsorships.
Caron said the nonprofit is open about its relationship with Worcester Wreath. Each organization mentions the other on its website. Wreaths Across America’s nonprofit information page also states that Worcester Wreath began donating wreaths in 1992 before Wreaths Across America was formed in 2007.
But it’s not clear to everyone who sponsors a wreath.
Cary Fisher, executive director of the American Legion Auxiliary Department of Utah, has sponsored wreaths in the past for her father and her husband’s father.
“It’s more of a benefit to the person that actually is doing the wreath laying,” she said about memorializing veterans’ service.
Fisher was surprised to learn about the nonprofit’s ties to its supplier.
“I would have probably thought that more money was going into veterans, not necessarily directly back to that company.”
Fisher doesn’t think the nonprofit’s financial situation detracts from the meaning of placing wreaths on graves or saying veterans’ names out loud to honor them. At ceremonies she’s attended, she said, “[participants’] gratification from it is that they're honoring the veteran and their service.”
Still, Fisher thinks the relationship between the two entities is interesting.
“I might think twice about it,” she said, “and do [it] some other way, maybe get a wreath, but not through them.”
Wreaths Across America said it conducts a request for proposals for a wreath supplier every three years. The Dryden Group, a third party, conducted the RFP for the 2023, 2024 and 2025 seasons. Worcester Wreath was the only company to submit a proposal, according to John Fox, vice president of client services at Dryden.
Caron said Worcester Wreath would “continue to give to this program, whether or not they're involved, because it means a lot.”
At the end of the day, she said it’s not just about wreaths.
“It's about people coming together during the busiest time of year to pause and reflect on those who might not have everyone that they love at their table.”
Caron said the charity is happy to answer any questions people have about their operations, but added “if it doesn't feel good or right to you, find a program that does and help where you can.”
Fisher said people who sponsor and lay wreaths do it to acknowledge veterans’ service. They worry more about that, she guessed, than all the background information.
“It is one of those tricky things,” she said, “because nonprofits can make lots of money, but where does it go?”
Macy Lipkin is a Report for America corps member who reports for KUER in northern Utah.
