MADISON, Wis., Nov. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The American Warrior Initiative (AWI) – a non-profit organization funded by Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation – just completed presenting ten service dogs in ten days to ten military veterans across the United States.  AWI kicked off the initiative by presenting four service dogs in Scottsdale, AZ on November 7 and then presented a service dog in Boston on November 9, three dogs in the greater Chicago area at events on November 12, 13 and 14, and wrapped up by presenting two service dogs in Dallas on November 15.  Karen Vaughn, a Gold Star mother and member of the AWI team, was a guest speaker for AWI at a Veteran’s Day church service on November 10 in Kansas City and a fundraiser in Dallas on November 11.

Adding these ten service dogs to AWI’s total brings the number of dogs placed with recipients in need to 388 since AWI began the project nine years ago. 

“‘That dog saved my life’ are the words I have heard dozens of times from veteran service dog recipients over the past few years,” said Louise Thaxton, the Director of AWI.  “I was asked once by a reporter ‘How exactly do these service dogs save lives?’  To which I responded ‘I don’t understand it, but I liken it to electricity.   You see, I don’t totally understand electricity either.  But when I walk in a room, I flip a switch and there is light.  That is what I have seen hundreds of times with veterans when they receive their service dog battle buddies — a light comes on for that veteran that wasn’t there before.”   

The American Warrior Initiative was formed in 2014 with the goal of giving back to veterans, active-duty military and first responders through business grants, home renovations, and personal financial grants, all funded through donations by the employees of Fairway.  AWI’s focus on presenting service dogs to deserving military veterans began when Louise Thaxton learned about the disturbingly high suicide rate among veterans, and how trained service dogs could significantly improve the lives of veterans suffering from depression and physical trauma from their time served in the U.S. military.

“Mortgages are what we DO at Fairway, they’re not who we ARE. We run our business so that we can support our non-profits like AWI,” said Fairway Founder and CEO Steve Jacobson. “Seeing Louise and her team helping these men and women who served our country and brought back physical and emotional scars from their experiences is what we’re all about.  The service dogs and the training required are expensive – most vets can’t afford it.  The fact that AWI and our other non-profits are supported by donations from Fairway’s teammates says a lot about our commitment to helping those in need.”

About Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp.

Madison, WI– and Carrollton, TX-based Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation (NMLS #2289) is a full-service mortgage lender licensed in all 50 states.  Fairway is the #2 overall retail lender in the U.S.

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SOURCE Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation

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