From Rescue to Recovery: How Team Godwin Foundation is Giving Dogs (and Veterans) a Second Chance
When Mariah and Chris Godwin set out to make a difference, they didn’t just write a check. They made a commitment: To a mission, to a movement, and to two very special dogs named Zanna and Spike.
As Team Godwin Foundation relaunches with a renewed focus on rescue dogs and the people they serve, we’re taking a moment to look back at the partnerships that have shaped our story, starting with one of our most meaningful: K9s For Warriors.
Meeting K9s For Warriors
K9s For Warriors is a nonprofit dedicated to providing service dogs to military veterans suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury, or other military trauma(s). Their dogs, which are rescues, are trained to be life-changing companions for warriors who need them most. The connection between their mission and ours at Team Godwin Foundation felt immediate and natural.
Our relationship began in 2022, when Mariah and Chris first sponsored a service dog in training. That dog was Zanna.
Zanna and Warrior Kristin
Zanna spent six to eight months at K9s For Warriors’ campus in Ponte Vedra, FL learning the skills that would one day help a veteran reclaim their daily life. In 2024, Zanna graduated from the program and was paired with Warrior Kristin. Seeing Zanna cross that finish line as a fully trained service dog was a milestone we’re proud to have helped make possible.
Spike and Warrior Warren
Inspired by Zanna’s journey, our commitment deepened. Mariah and Chris sponsored a second service dog, Spike, who graduated from the K9s For Warriors program in 2025 alongside Warrior Warren. Two dogs. Two veterans. Two stories of rescue, resilience, and second chances.
What It Takes to Sponsor a Service Dog
Sponsoring one K9s For Warriors service dog costs $30,000, an investment that covers everything from eight months of professional training, veterinary care, a service dog vest and equipment, and shelter and love throughout the dog’s journey.
What’s Next
As Team Godwin Foundation steps into this next chapter, our commitment to rescue dogs, and to the people whose lives they transform, remains at the heart of everything we do. We’re excited to continue building on the foundation Chris and Mariah have created and to explore new ways to partner with organizations like K9s For Warriors to save more dogs and serve more warriors.
Stay tuned. The best chapters are still ahead.
