Helping Our Heros

Rebecca Stephens and her dog Bobbi - Photo credit: Haley Harrison

Helping Heroes Program

Team Godwin Foundation, Helping Heroes Program aims to fund initiatives that provide rescued service dogs to veterans with hopes of not saving one life but two lives.

According to the 2021 National Veteran Suicide Prevention annual report, in 2019, 17.2 veterans died by suicide a day (6,261 that year), while 1,068 shelter dogs in the U.S. are euthanized daily (390,000 per year), according to the nonprofit database Shelter Animals Count.

“I don’t think you can ever underestimate what giving someone hope can do. I think that dogs in general provide that, but service dogs -- for whatever reason that someone may need it -- just having that companionship, knowing that there’s gonna be someone that can understand you in some way … just gives you hope that the sun will come up the next day.”

— Chris Godwin