Biography

Britnee Kinard is the founder of the SD Gunner Fund, a non-profit organization which assists veterans and their families. Britnee's husband is a disabled veteran, and has a son who was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, sensory processing disorder and mixed expressive/receptive language disorder. Her son also has a rare medical condition known as Stephens-Johnson Syndrome. Her husband served in Iraq and has a service dog; named Gunner, who was the first mobility service dog to be approved in the southeast coastal region. She began with using service animals to help veterans, but has now grown to assist both veterans as well as disabled children by helping to fund the finances that come with a service animal. Gunner serves as a service dog for both her husband and child, and through this Britnee has seen the importance of a service animal and makes that experience possible for those who cannot afford. She also provides a full service veteran suicide and support hotline set up to her cell phone, as well as her husband’s. They will respond to this at any time of day or hour of the night in order to help those in need. Her fund also aids in service animal expenses, assists families with disabled children and their medical expenses, providing all terrain mobility devices, paying their utilities and other financial expenses as needed, as well as helps to provide food for those in need. Britnee is willing to travel to anywhere that someone is in need, and has served as a guest speaker all over the southeast. She has received the Middle Tennessee State University True Blue Citation of Distinction for Services to the Community award in addition to the Lincoln Award, both in 2015, and was featured on PBS for her recognition of the Lincoln Award. Britnee has a love for music and a passion for helping those in need, and strives to continue to do just that.