The SD Gunner Fund Interview

Your best local roofing contractor from Savannah, GA, South Shore Roofing, has a lot of respect for our non-profit and non-governmental organizations because of their contribution to our local society. Through the years, we have been working with clients from many different fields of business, so we are assured that the non-profits definitely don’t have a smooth workflow.

Most of the time, the biggest issue they have been struggling with is funding. We hope to occupy people’s attention through sharing some short stories about local organizations so someone could help them with their work. Today we are going to talk with The SD Gunner Fund, created to assist Veterans and Special Needs Children.

Introduction
To begin with, we would like you to briefly tell us about your organization

The SD Gunner Fund was created to assist Veterans and Special Needs Children with the financial expense of obtaining and maintaining much needed service animals. Service Animals require a variety of necessary items in order to perform their service. Those items can include but are not limited to: vests, custom harnesses, other assistance items, veterinary visits, and more. Service dogs are trained to support individuals with mobility, hearing, psychiatric, and brain/neurological disabilities. These dogs are professionally trained to meet the individual needs of their partner and completes tasks such as opening doors, picking up dropped objects, assisting with daily dressing, or pulling a manual wheelchair. The SD Gunner Fund can also assist Veterans and disabled children with a variety of other assistance if needed.

1. What do you do exactly?
And what was the reason that encouraged you to start this organization?
The SD Gunner Fund was started in 2014 by Britnee Kinard. Britnee is the wife and caregiver to her husband, Retired Sgt. Hamilton Kinard, and a full time mom to their two boys. The Kinard’s eldest son, Blayne, was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sensory Processing Disorder, and Mixed Receptive/Expressive Language Disorder in 2013. He also suffers from Stephens-Johnson Syndrome. Sgt. Kinard, a disabled OIF veteran, received his mobility service dog Gunner in 2013. The Kinard’s experienced first hand the neglect the Department of Veterans Affairs, and their lack of approving the much needed service animals for our disabled veterans. “My family and I have struggled to navigate our way through the system, and we do not want anyone to ever have to go through what we’ve been through with the V.A. Service animals help Veterans like my husband so much, but the government refuses to recognize this.” What the Kinard’s didn’t realize was that SD Gunner was also helping their son, Blayne, with his daily struggles. “SD Gunner helps me keep an eye on Blayne when he bolts from me,” said Mrs. Kinard. He also watches over my son when he sleeps, and runs to him when he screams. He is our guardian angel! If a parent of a disabled child or military family is in need, I want them to know they are not in this fight alone, and that we want to help!”

2. What motivates you?
Describe your mission passion
My passion is to help. I do not like the word “NO” and I tend to not adhere to it. I was always told that an obstacle is something that cannot be done until YOU decide to do it. That is something I have lived by since I was a teenager. Everything we encounter in life is an opportunity, and no one should be limited to those opportunities because of a disability. That is where we come in.

3. Tell us about your goals
Our goal at SDGF is to provide Veterans and Special Needs Children with the tools they need to be able to live or function as independently as they can. Majority of the time, the tool we provide is a service dog.

4. What was the hardest/toughest moment you had to deal with?
Obstacles you faced when dealing with bureaucracy, permits, funding, etc. Something you would like to point out to anyone who might be starting their own organization.
The biggest hurdle is always fundraising. I think that is a given with any organization. You cannot provide or stand by your mission is you don’t have the funds to do so.

5. What was the most fulfilling moment that happened to you?
There are so many! One that sticks out to me is when I got a phone call from one of our Veterans…she was crying and so grateful…she has just attended her child’s field day trip. She had never been able to do that before, and she was so excited that she could finally be involved in her child’s school activities.

6. What separates you from the rest? Why you?
Every dog and every family becomes a part of our family. We will never leave anyone behind.

7. Do you have any upcoming events in the forthcoming months?
December 2 – Richmond Hill Christmas Parade; December 3 – Pit Bull awareness calendar shoot (Hinesville); December 9 – Holly Days on the Hill (booth in Richmond Hill); December 15-17 – AKC Award for Canine Excellence Awards (Orlando, Florida); December 16 – Kendra Scott Fundraiser (Savannah); December 26 – WTF Radio Show;

8. What is it that you love most about what you do?
Working with Veterans, dogs and kids! It doesn’t get any better!! I love making people smile and with my job…I get to see it daily.

9. What is the biggest challenge you’re faced with today?
Fundraising is always on our minds.

10. Anything else you would like to add?
We need $5,000.00 to finish out 2017. We need help raising these funds before December 31, 2017.

Contact: How can people reach out to you?
Your organization’s name, phone, address, e-mail and links to your website and social media
SD Gunner Fund, 615-804-3533, 2480 Garden Hill Loop – Richmond Hill – GA – 31324

sdgunnerfund@yahoo.com

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We would like to thank you for attention from all of us from your top roofing company from Savannah, Georgia, South Shore Roofing!

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Craig Delaney

This was the best experience that I have had with any roofing company. They worked with us from start to finish and never once did we have to have them redo anything. They began work at 7 a.m. as stated in my contact with the tearing off of the roof and was finished with the replacement asking with clean up by 8:30 pm. Awesome job!

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