Every dollar donated went twice as far during the 9th annual K9s For Warriors Veterans Day telethon. Over $1.3 million was raised at the Shari Duval National Headquarters in Ponte Vedra, Florida, and San Antonio, Texas campuses.
First Coast News has been a proud media sponsor of the organization since its conception. K9s For Warriors trains and pairs service dogs with veterans in need. The donations will help pair even more veterans in need with a life-saving service dog. Monday’s total equates to 43 veterans lives saved and 43 rescue dogs saved.
“K9s For Warriors is extremely grateful to First Coast News, its viewers, and the community for helping us exceed our $1 million goal for our annual Veterans Day telethon,” said Lindsay Grayson, Chief Revenue Officer at K9s For Warriors. “These donations directly impact our Warriors and service dogs and further our mission of saving lives at both ends of the leash. Thank you for going the extra mile to thank our Warriors for their service to sacrifice.”
First Coast News broadcasted live during Good Morning Jacksonville at 6 a.m. and continued sharing the mission until telethon lines closed at 7 p.m. The First Coast’s number one lifestyle show at 11 a.m. developed a special presentation with K9s For Warriors, which you can see streaming now on First Coast News+. The special, K9s For Warriors: Saving Lives At Both Ends Of The Leash, explains the battle worth fighting for. It delves into an alarming statistic: roughly 20 veterans a day take their own lives. K9s For Warriors is determined to change that by providing highly trained service dogs at no cost to the veteran. K9s For Warriors exists because of a fierce dedication to saving the lives of both veterans and rescue dogs.
“Organizations that support the First Coast and all veterans like K9s For Warriors is truly an honor for our team at First Coast News to work with,” said Tim Thomas President and General Manager First Coast News. “K9s For Warriors demonstrates what our brand, On Your Side, stands for.”
Since 2015, over $3.8 million has been raised during the Veterans Day telethon by First Coast News viewers. Your donations have helped fund the training of 188 service dogs, which were paired with 188 veterans. Donations have also been used to break ground and complete the K9s for Warriors' Davis Family Mega Kennel, allowing K9s for Warriors to rescue and train more dogs. The donations also decreased the waitlist from four years to two.
K9s For Warriors Fast Facts
*Provided by K9s For Warriors
If you would like to make a donation to the organization or if you are a veteran interested in applying for a service dog, visit k9sforwarriors.org.