Pursuing Excellence 2024

Miles Funeral Home is committed to providing funeral care that exceeds our customers’ expectations. We are guided daily by our mission statement: “With an open heart, open mind and a helping hand, Miles Funeral Home serves people throughout Worcester County in need of funeral care. Committed to serving all faiths, cultures and nationalities, we help each family celebrate memories and honor their loved one with a unique and meaningful tribute.” To meet our goal, we participate in professional associations that help us surpass industry standards. One such organization is the National Funeral Directors Association. (https://nfda.org/)

In 2023 Miles participated in the NFDA’s Pursuit of Excellence Program, which recognizes funeral homes “that meet or exceed business standards set forth by the program and demonstrate proficiency in key areas of funeral service”. Of the 970 funeral homes in Massachusetts, only two received the Pursuit of Excellence (POE), and of the 22,715 Funeral Homes businesses in the United States, 104 received POE. This rigorous process requires completing exigent activities in seven areas. Miles is pleased to apply again for the 2024 Pursuit of Excellence which is renewable each July. (https://nfda.org/membership/recognition-programs/pursuit-of-excellence)

Funeral homes awarded Pursuit of Excellence have demonstrated mastery in seven categories, demonstrated by a minimum of four accomplishments in each category:

• Integrity and ethics
• Impactful programs and resources for bereaved families
• Dynamic community engagement
• Compliance with state and federal regulations
• Creative marketing, advertising and public relations initiatives
• Education and professional development for staff
• Active participation in and service to the funeral service profession.

Additionally, Pursuit of Excellence applicants submit a 400-word essay describing an innovative program, service or activity they have executed. For the 2024 application Miles is describing our year-long collaboration with Hope Lives Here and Wachusett Regional High School to increase grief literacy and bereavement resources for youth in Holden and surrounding towns.

As we complete the 2024 Pursuit of Excellence application over the next month, reflecting on our business practices, the ways we have served the bereaved and helped our community, we continue our mission to provide exceptional funeral care and help develop a grief-informed community that honors its beloved deceased.