The nation’s largest provider of trained service dogs to military veterans, K9s For Warriors, announced a new campaign in partnership with The Gate Foundation to support its mission to end veteran suicide. Until June, Gate coin boxes will be located at cash registers in more than 70 Gate convenience store locations in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.
The money collected from each coin box, as well as from difference collected when Gate customers choose to round-up their transaction totals to the nearest dollar, will go directly toward rescuing, training and ultimately pairing a service dog with a veteran struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury and/or military sexual trauma.
Roughly 20 veterans die by suicide every day. The Gate Foundation’s generosity will help K9s For Warriors save more lives and alleviate the financial burden of rescuing and training a service dog — which costs $25,000.
“Our work wouldn’t be possible without the support of our incredible partners,” said Rory Diamond, CEO of K9s For Warriors. “This campaign with The Gate Foundation allows us to pair more Warriors with highly trained Service Dogs. It also connects us with people in our local communities who may not know about our mission to end veteran suicide.”
The Gate Foundation is dedicated to giving back to and serving the neighbors and communities that support its operations. Gate works to bring positive change to every neighborhood it’s located.
(Photo/K9s For Warriors)
“We are so grateful to our customers for their generosity and support of this campaign,” said Kathy Brady, executive director of The Gate Foundation. “K9s For Warriors provides a way for our warriors to heal and rise from their darkest place. It is an honor to support their work.”
The funds raised through the campaign will help warriors specifically from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina graduate through the program at no cost to those veterans.
Founded in 2011, K9s For Warriors has rescued approximately 1,500 dogs across the country and paired more than 700 veterans with trained service dogs to mitigate symptoms of post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injuries and/or military sexual trauma.
With most dogs coming from high-kill rescue shelters, the innovative program allows the K9/Warrior team to build an unwavering bond that facilitates their collective healing and recovery. This treatment method is backed by scientific research (from Purdue University’s OHAIRE Lab) demonstrating Service Dogs’ ability to help mitigate their veteran’s symptoms of PTSD while simultaneously restoring their confidence and independence.
