Our Mission
PROVIDING ULTIMATE HONOR FOR ULTIMATE SACRIFICE
“We honor the service and sacrifice of public safety heroes who give their lives in the line of duty — by caring for the loved ones they leave behind.”
How We Serve
Emergency Assistance and Information
We respond as quickly as possible to line-of-duty deaths in our service area (Indiana, Kentucky, and Missouri), and provide $5,000 of emergency funds and other assistance to the family (additional funds, travel, lodging, meals, etc.) as needed. We also provide essential information to the family and offer guidance to agency leaders.
Assistance with Professional Honors
Our specialized team stands ready to assist per agency request.
We maintain a specially-trained Memorial Team ready to assist agency leaders with planning and coordinating all aspects of professional honors — from the time of death through the funeral and beyond. To the degree desired by agency leaders, we take the burden off agency personnel and free them to focus on their own grief, families, and co-workers.
Ongoing Support for the Family
“A hero’s sacrifice is forever, so is that of the family.”
Following the funeral, we meet with the immediate financially dependent survivor and assess financial need. We then provide ongoing financial support according to need as we assist with obtaining benefits. We also facilitate peer support by holding social events to bring survivors together in the hope that supportive relationships will form.
National Memorial Travel and Support
We provide support & fund travel for families to national memorial services.
It is very important for families to attend the national memorial service when their hero is honored. But it can be very costly, and traveling so far from home can be very unsettling. We cover travel and lodging for all immediate survivors to attend their respective service and provide around-the-clock shuttle service and on-site support.
Education/Information
We provide informational resources and host classes on topics related to line-of-duty death.
We publish information and host free classes about topics related to line-of-duty death. Our goal is to help prepare leaders for the difficult decisions they must make in the wake of a tragedy and properly support those affected. Our classes are typically attended by chiefs and chief officers, supervisors, chaplains, honor guards, etc.
Benefits Assistance
We assist families and agencies in filing for line-of-duty death benefits.
Responding to the need, our staff has acquired significant experience with the federal Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) and provides assistance free of charge. It is a blessing that most agency leaders have little or no experience with PSOB, so they welcome our help. As such, we file the vast majority of claims from our service area.
Latest News
Twenty-five years ago today, our nation was forever changed.
On September 11, 2001, nearly 3,000 people lost their lives in the terrorist attacks on our nation. Among them were hundreds of firefighters, law enforcement officers, and other first responders who ran toward danger while others were trying to escape it.
Today, we remember them. We remember their courage, their sacrifice, and the families whose lives were changed forever. We also remember the countless first responders and others who have suffered and died in the years since because of illnesses connected to their service in response to the attacks.
September 11 also holds a special meaning for Supporting Heroes.
Three years after the attacks, on September 11, 2004, Supporting Heroes began its mission to honor the service and sacrifice of public safety heroes who give their lives in the line of duty by caring for the loved ones they leave behind.
Today marks our 22nd anniversary.
For 22 years, we have had the privilege of standing beside families during some of the most difficult moments imaginable. We have responded when heroes have fallen, helped families secure benefits and navigate the days and years that followed, assisted agencies in honoring their fallen, and worked to ensure that their sacrifice is never forgotten.
Much has changed since that first day in 2004, but one promise has remained constant:
We’ll be there.
On this 25th anniversary of September 11, we pause first to remember those who were lost, those who answered the call, and those whose lives were forever changed.
And as Supporting Heroes begins its 23rd year of service, we recommit ourselves to the principles upon which this organization was founded:
Honor does not end at the grave.
We will remember.
We will honor.
And we will be there.
Testimonials
“I have watched the organization work for years and have always been impressed. And when my agency suffered a line-of-duty death, they were amazing!”
“They made a huge difference in our agency… We will always be indebted for their compassion and all they gave without asking anything in return.”
“When we experienced a line-of-duty death, I was so thankful for Supporting Heroes. They were onsite quickly and handled the logistics of the visitation and funeral – enabling me to focus on taking care of our agency and our deputy’s family. Everything was done to perfection! I am so thankful for this organization!”
“I can’t thank the Supporting Heroes staff and volunteers enough for their support after the loss of Chief Deputy Cash. They were here within hours for the Cash family, myself, and our agency. I was at a loss for what to do. They stepped in immediately and offered help and advice. This is a great organization!”