Service Corporation International: A Passion for Compassion

Service Corporation International (SCI) is North America’s leading provider of funeral, cremation, and cemetery services. As the people who support families during their most difficult times, SCI has created a culture of compassion for both the families it serves and the associates it employs.

Authentic Support

SCI developed a community engagement strategy centered on three key missions: honoring veterans, providing grief support, and celebrating the gift of life through organ, eye, and tissue donation. These focus areas were intentionally chosen to align with the company’s core values, the nature of its work, and the causes its associates care most about, ensuring authenticity in its philanthropic efforts.

Extending the Team

Since 2011, SCI has partnered with Greater Houston Community Foundation, awarding over $18,628,275 through multiple charitable vehicles, including a corporate donor advised fund, a scholarship program, and an employee disaster relief fund. In 2025 alone, SCI contributed over $5.6 million to nonprofits across the U.S. in partnership with the Community Foundation.

Jay Andrew, AVP Corporate Communications at SCI, said, “By partnering with the Community Foundation to administer our donor advised fund, scholarship program, and employee disaster relief fund, we’ve been able to shift the administrative burden off our team. This allows us to focus on our core mission while also streamlining our operations. The Community Foundation’s support ensures our programs are still run accurately, ethically, and in alignment with our caring culture.”

Beyond day-to-day administration, the Community Foundation is a true partner, serving as an extension of SCI’s team. Jay said, “We leaned heavily on the Community Foundation to provide guidance on following IRS guidance related to bifurcated gifts. They were able to guide us through how to administer funds to the community while remaining compliant.” The Community Foundation simplifies SCI’s processes, working alongside its community engagement team to help maximize impact.

Putting Associates First

In 2012, SCI formed the SCI Relief Fund in partnership with the Community Foundation to support its associates in recovering from a variety of disasters, including wildfires, hurricanes, flooding, and freezes. To date, SCI has given over $2 million to associates in California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, North and South Carolina, Texas, and Puerto Rico to help them get back on their feet during times of crisis. Typically, they award up to $3,000 per associate per disaster, providing a safety net as they work with their insurance companies to recover.

As its philanthropic partner, the Community Foundation helps SCI care for its greatest asset: its associates. For the SCI Relief Fund, the Community Foundation ensures the program aligns with regulations and industry best practices. Additionally, the Community Foundation stands ready to conduct timely reviews of applications and operate with a sense of urgency to meet SCI associates’ basic needs. “The Community Foundation looks at each application very thoughtfully, taking into account any context related to a specific disaster,” Jay said. “They conduct their reviews equitably and impartially, ensuring parity across the board. The communication and collaboration we have with the Community Foundation during a disaster ensures efficiency, so we get funds to our associates quickly.” SCI has a meaningful impact on its associates through recovery efforts, and the Community Foundation helps make it possible.

Sam J. Lucas, Jr. Scholarship Program

In 1998, SCI established the Sam J. Lucas, Jr. Scholarship in honor of and in memory of Sam J. Lucas, Jr., a former SCI executive who lost his life suddenly. The scholarship is designated for SCI associates, or the spouse or child of a current employee. Since its inception, SCI has awarded over $479,000 in scholarships and provided $40,000 to 10 students in 2025 alone.

Building on this legacy of support, SCI sought to streamline the scholarship experience for applicants and administrators alike. In 2021, SCI partnered with the Community Foundation to manage its scholarship program, removing administrative burdens from associates and ensuring a seamless experience for applicants. From developing the online application to reviewing, scoring, and awarding scholarships, the Community Foundation provides SCI with full-service management of its scholarship program along with personalized support for potential scholarship recipients.

This scholarship exemplifies SCI’s deep commit-ment to its associates and their growth. Whether exploring new career paths or advancing in their current roles, this financial support empowers associates or their dependents to pursue their educational goals. Many recipients choose careers in mortuary science, a field that resonates deeply with SCI’s mission—making this scholarship program a meaningful extension of who the company is and what it stands for.

Caring for Each Other

At its core, SCI has cultivated a culture of service for both the families it serves and the associates who help fulfill its vision of celebrating life with dedication, excellence, and innovation. With the Community Foundation as a trusted partner, SCI is able to deepen its impact, strengthen its programs, and continue honoring the values that define its mission.

For more inspiring stories of impact and generosity, explore our 2025 Annual Report.

More Helpful Articles by Greater Houston Community Foundation:  

• How Do Corporate Philanthropy Programs Work?
• How Do Charitable Lead Trusts Work?
• What is a Donor Advised Fund? The Complete Guide
• Investing in Futures: Launch of the Houston Opportunity Scholarship

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