Service Dogs Saving Lives (SDSL) hosted its second annual A Night of Hope on Saturday to a full house.

The evening was filled with excitement from start to finish. Linda and Paul Johnson shared their journey of transforming a personal tragedy into a source of hope for others after losing their son to suicide in 2015. They work to raise funds for two partner organizations that provide highly trained service dogs free of charge to individuals with a history of self-harm who often face mental health challenges.

The Johnsons’ message emphasizes the importance of supporting our families, neighbors, and communities in addressing the epidemic of suicide. Over the past two years, they have given away five highly trained service dogs and raised over $100,000. Service Dogs Saving Lives (SDSL) aims to provide 5 to 10 service dogs annually, with a fundraising goal of over $200,000 annually.

Last night, they kicked off the year by raising over $20,000 at their life-saving event.

Paul and Linda are deeply grateful to everyone who has supported their mission to help veterans, first responders, and others in need. They firmly believe that individuals who have protected our communities and country deserve proper care, and our responsibility is to support them.

If you know someone—such as a person, family member, business, or foundation—who would like to help by volunteering or donating, please contact Service Dogs Saving Lives to spread the word about our life-saving mission.