A Fund for Fallen Soliders

Initiative Foundation fund supports annual tribute to recognize honor, duty, sacrifice

Photography by Zack Swanson

Each December, volunteers gather with reverence to lay nearly 6,000 honor wreaths at the headstones of those interred at the 39-acre Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Little Falls.

The event is organized by Wreaths for the Fallen, a Baxter-based nonprofit that partnered with the Initiative Foundation in 2023 to be the permanent home for its Wreaths for the Fallen Memorial Endowed Fund. “Through this agreement, donations made to the Wreaths for the Fallen endowment will be stewarded long into the future to ensure that our fallen veterans and their families can be appropriately honored,” said Zach Tabatt, community philanthropy manager at the Initiative Foundation. In addition to Little Falls, wreaths are placed on headstones at Minnesota’s three other State Veterans Cemeteries in Duluth, Preston and Redwood Falls.

Wreaths for the Fallen ceremony — Community members gather for an opening ceremony before the wreaths are laid.

A volunteer delivers a wreath to its rightful location.

Volunteer and Brainerd resident Justin Doerfler, who served in Afghanistan, takes a moment to honor the fallen.

An honor guard pays tribute to fallen soldiers and their family members during opening ceremonies.

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The Initiative Foundation is proud to host a variety of Partner Funds for families, businesses, nonprofits and volunteer-led groups. Contact us today to create a fund that supports the causes that matter most to you. Gain tax advantages, benefit from local expertise and support while aligning your generosity with community initiatives. Visit ifound.org/ways-to-give/start-a-fund or email: funds@ifound.org