‘So Much Gratitude’: Amanda Balionis Reveals Handwritten Letter as Her NGO Hits $1M Impact Mark

Amanda Balionis is best known for interviewing golf’s biggest names for CBS Sports broadcasts. But the project she talks about with the most pride has nothing to do with the fairway. Since 2020, she has run Puppies and Golf, a nonprofit that raises money for rescue dogs, shelters, and the families who care for them. This weekend, the charity reached a milestone she had been working towards for six years, and she chose a very personal way to share it.

On Saturday, Balionis announced on her Instagram Stories that Puppies and Golf had officially passed the $1 million mark in giving. Instead of a polished statement or a press release, she posted a photo of a handwritten page from her personal journal, tagging the charity’s account, @puppiesandgolf.

The note is dated October 17, 2026, and was written in black ink in a small notebook. She captioned it, “A page from my journal today..” and joked, “Sorry for the horrible handwriting, Mom.”

Her mom, Dana, co-founded the charity with her and now serves as its director. The note was written with her in mind. Balionis shared her reason in another story: “I wrote this down because I wanted to remember exactly how this moment felt.”

And the page opens with the milestone itself.

“Today marks a big day for Puppies and Golf. We have officially hit the one million dollar mark in giving. To think about when we started, me and my mom splitting the start cost, asking friends to volunteer their time and help us figure out a brand we knew nothing about, without any idea if this concept would resonate with people, is amazing.”

Then she turns to what the money has meant for her charity.

“There’s so much more behind the one million dollars. There have been so many relationships forged, kids impacted, and families feeling empowered to foster, adopt, and volunteer. We have connected major companies to local shelters in need and brought awareness to communities around the country on how to get involved with the amount of dogs in their backyard.”

The journal page was not her only story. Balionis also shared two photo collages. The first carried the message, “What means the most is everything that can’t be measured in dollars,” alongside the words, “so much gratitude, so much more to do.”

Her journey has certainly been a long one, and that nostalgia explains why she wanted to capture the moment by hand. The distance she describes is significant. Balionis founded Puppies and Golf in 2020, when she was 34, after volunteering with K9s For Warriors during her time at the PGA Tour in Jacksonville. That organization pairs rescue dogs with military veterans. She told Golf Digest that the idea began with a friend’s apparel brand and a Puppies and Golf shirt, with proceeds going to K9s For Warriors.

Today, the charity gives grants to families facing unexpected vet bills and supports shelters and rescues. It also backs programs that train service dogs for veterans. And the growth has been steady. By September 2023, it had donated more than $100,000, according to an announcement from PetSense by Tractor Supply. Reports in 2025 put the total above $500,000, which means the second half-million came much faster than the first.

Furthermore, much of that growth came from events that blend golf with adoptable dogs. At the Zurich Classic, she partnered with Tito’s Vodka and Animal Rescue New Orleans to bring dogs through a PGA Tour stop. The San Diego Block Party and the Nashville Barkin’ Bash drew local crowds. Her photos show the same mix, from a CBS headset hug with a dog to puppies at tournaments.

The second collage was packed with images of volunteers, supporters, and dogs. It included a K9s For Warriors podium with a service dog, Puppies and Golf merchandise, including a golf bag and towel, and group shots from events. The collage was a beautiful throwback to all the hard work they had put together over the years.

Across the images, she thanked every donor, every company that joined the cause, and every volunteer who helped stage the events.

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