Warriors Heart Foundation announces New Executive Director Teddy Lanier to lead Non-Profit Initiatives for Veteran and First Responder Healing

SAN ANTONIO, Dec. 1, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- In sync with Giving Tuesday, Warriors Heart Foundation announces Warriors Heart Alumni and U.S. Army Master Sergeant (ret) Teddy Lanier is the new Executive Director of the Warriors Heart Foundation. The Warriors Heart Foundation is a 501(c)(3) that accepts deductible donations that help fund warriors (active-duty military, veterans, first responders and EMTs/paramedics) in their healing from addiction, PTSD, mild TBI, trauma, suicide, depression and co-occurring issues.

The Warriors Heart Foundation helps subsidize the cost of treatment for Warriors who do not have insurance benefits, including VA benefits. Most funding goes towards treatment services at the Warriors Heart Facility (a separate entity from the foundation), but also covers funding for other verified programs. With the unacceptable averages of 20 veteran suicides per day and 1 law enforcement officer every 62.5 hours in the U.S., the goal is not to turn anyone away for financial reasons.

Former Special Forces and Warriors Heart Co-Founder Tom Spooner shared, "We are grateful to the community for their continued support, and to Teddy Lanier for assuming this new leadership role as the Warriors Heart Foundation Executive Director. He is recognized as a role model and hero, who speaks regularly about his long journey home."

After serving on the Warriors Heart Foundation Board for the past three years and as a Warriors Heart Alumni in long-term recovery for the past 3.5 years, Lanier has dedicated his life to healing fellow warriors. With gratitude, Lanier explains, "Warriors Heart and a private donor saved my life, and gave me the tools to live. Leading the Warriors Heart Foundation is a great opportunity to 'Pay It Forward' to the next person, and save as many lives as possible."

The Warriors Heart Foundation supports programs that give individuals and communities the tools to rebuild their lives and become self-sufficient. Donations help:

• Subsidize funding for chemical dependency and PTSD treatment that includes detox, in-patient residential treatment services, intensive outpatient program (IOP), one-on-one therapy and sober living.
• Fund ESA or Service Dogs for warriors that includes trained emotional support animals that provide a specific service to a warrior.
• Fund Sober Living housing for warriors who need continued support where there is structure after treatment while going back to school, volunteering and/or receiving outpatient treatment.
• Promote behavioral health education for veteran, law enforcement & firefighter resources for what to look for with chemical dependencies and PTSD.

In-kind donations also support warrior healing, which may include donations of wood, building materials, steel, metal and wood shop equipment, volunteer work, products and other partnerships. Current foundation partnership programs include the Gary Sinise Foundation, Black Rifle Coffee Company, U.S. Elite Footwear and an MTM l Watch Limited Edition Series.

Lanier encourages everyone to get involved in the healing of our protectors by donating to Warriors Heart Foundation, listening and/or honoring those who have served.

MEDIA CONTACT for Warriors Heart:
Liz Kelly: 310-987-7207

ABOUT TEDDY LANIER: Warriors Heart Foundation Executive Director and Master Sergeant (ret) Teddy Lanier served for 22 years (1989-2011), including 10 years in the U.S. Army and 12 years in Special Forces. Lanier is honored to be the new Warriors Heart Foundation Executive Director to help fellow warriors win their "War At Home" against drug and alcohol addiction, PTSD and co-occurring issues. Lanier was deployed five times to combat in Iraq and Afghanistan, and adjusting back to civilian life brought many challenges. Lanier overcame a 17-year opiate addiction after attending Warriors Heart residential treatment program in April 2017. To give back, Lanier is speaking publicly about his story. Teddy says, "If all I do is save one person, then I am happy to share my story with the world." Lanier has shared his story on the TODAY Show, WRAL NBC News Raleigh, Dr Drew Midday Live and more. https://www.warriorsheartfoundation.org/board-of-directors/

ABOUT WARRIORS HEART FOUNDATION (Bandera, Texas)
Warriors Heart Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) that accepts donations to help heal our protectors with their peers. One of the missions of the foundation is to provide financial aid through hardship grants that assist in covering the cost of treatment at Warriors Heart to help our military, veterans and first responders get the treatment they have earned and deserve. https://www.warriorsheartfoundation.org

ABOUT WARRIORS HEART (Bandera, Texas near San Antonio):
Warriors Heart is the first and only private accredited treatment program in the U.S. exclusively for "warriors" (active duty military, veterans, first responders and EMTs/paramedics) faced with the self-medicating struggles of alcohol addiction, prescription and drug addiction, PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), mild TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) and other co-occurring issues in a private, 60-bed facility on a 543-acre ranch. Along with a minimum 42-day peer-to-peer residential treatment program, Warriors Heart gives "warriors" the option of Detox, Day Treatment, Outpatient, and Sober Living (60-day minimum). Warriors Heart's work has been featured on the TODAY Show, CBS Health Watch, FOX 11 Los Angeles, National Defense Radio Show and in TIME, Forbes, The Chicago Tribune, Addiction Pro magazine, San Antonio Business Journal and many more. There is a 24-hour Warriors Heart hotline (844-448-2567) answered by warriors. https://www.warriorsheart.com

Media Contact

Liz Kelly, PR for Warriors Heart, 310-987-7207, [email protected]

SOURCE Warriors Heart