Jamey and Brittney Johnson’s Give It Away Fund has made eleven grants so far in 2026, focusing on children in need but also helping several other organizations as well.
The fund’s name came from the 2006 George Strait No. 1 hit, “Give It Away,” which Jamey co-wrote with Bill Anderson and Buddy Cannon. The song won Song of the Year at both the Country Music Association Awards and the Academy of Country Music Awards.
Johnson donates a dollar for every ticket sold at participating shows to his fund. In addition, he donates all proceeds from the sale of a special T-shirt to his fund. It is available at his shows and online HERE.
The couple chose organizations whose missions spoke to their hearts. For instance, Brittney is a highly respected lawyer from Mississippi, so one of the organizations selected was the Hancock School District in Mississippi. Give It Away’s donation cleared the district’s meal debt for 550 school kids in the six schools in the district in which Brittney attended. This donation made a tremendous impact in this low-income area.
"I grew up in the Hancock County School District, and I'm so proud to give back to my home community in this way,” Brittney says. “My goal was to remove this financial weight from hardworking parents and free students from any pressure they might feel when entering the cafeteria each day. I want the kids to focus on learning and just being kids!"
Four other grants went to non-profits that help children:
First Friday Kids Support Group: This Polk County, FL, organization provides weekend backpacks of food for kids throughout the school year.
The Charley Foundation: Through Rumble on the Row events, this Nashville organization supports charities for kids with critical needs.
Lizana Youth Association: This Pas Christian, MS, organization provides sports programs to children in a low-income community.
Wichita’s Littlest Heroes: This Kansas-based organization provides support to children with life-threatening medical conditions and to their families.
"As founders of the Give It Away Foundation, my husband and I are dedicated to the belief that every child deserves to feel supported, valued, and cared for,” Brittney says. “Part of our mission this year is to support and partner with groups that serve children and create stronger foundations for kids to thrive. It was an easy decision to support these four organizations because they directly and meaningfully impact children's lives on an ongoing basis."
The couple, who own four dogs, also made three grants to organizations that help animals:
Mane Mission: This Tennessee organization rescues and rehabilitates horses that are then utilized for equine therapy for veterans.
Nashville Pittie: This small rescue/rehab for pit bulls saves about 50 dogs annually.
Animal Rescue Corp: This Tennessee organization conducts large-scale emergency rescues of animals who fall victim to abuse and disaster. With law-enforcement officers, they do large puppy mill intakes and hold the dogs throughout the court process.
"Through our foundation and generous donors, we had the honor of supporting two animal nonprofit organizations and a large-scale animal rescue,” Brittney says. “Animals–especially dogs–hold a special place in my heart, and I am deeply passionate about supporting organizations that rescue, protect, and care for them.
"We were proud this year to support a local organization that provides equine therapy, as it combines two causes I care deeply about: supporting veterans and promoting animal-assisted therapy.
"Supporting a nonprofit like Nashville Pittie has been so meaningful and personal, because Jamey and I are passionate advocates of the breed and proud owners of two precious pitties ourselves."
Photo Credit: Joseph Cash
"We were proud this year to support a local organization that provides equine therapy, as it combines two causes I care deeply about: supporting veterans and promoting animal-assisted therapy.
"Supporting a nonprofit like Nashville Pittie has been so meaningful and personal, because Jamey and I are passionate advocates of the breed and proud owners of two precious pitties ourselves."
The fund also awarded grants to:
The Stepping Stone Shelter: This shelter supports homeless in 20 counties in Southwest Kansas.
Heart of the Motor documentary through Donate Life Kentucky Trust: This grant supports the films screenings that bring awareness and organ donor registration at its events.
Nikki Mitchell Foundation: This Nashville organization, which Jamey co-founded in 2013, provides comfort and relief to those affected by pancreatic cancer, while raising awareness and searching for a cure. The grant’s funds were specified to help a 31-year-old mother of a 5-year-old who has Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. Living with no furniture and only a mattress on the floor, her son had to move to the floor when she started toxic chemotherapy. Since her car had been under the threat of repossession, she had been hiding it after driving two hours to treatment. She kept her son out of school for special days because she couldn’t afford to purchase the items for special “dress up” days, like Dr. Seuss Day. NMF is facilitating taking care of her needs with this donation.
“Supporting this patient and her family during such a difficult time is a perfect example of why my husband and I started the Give It Away Foundation: to step in when it matters most, because we believe that no one should face life's hardest moments alone. We were proud to partner with the Nikki Mitchell Foundation in this effort.”
Jamey is known for being among the first to help in times of need, whether it’s performing in a charity concert, making calls or donating money. He is also known for his support of the Nikki Mitchell Foundation, which he co-founded in 2013 to help those who have pancreatic cancer. The Marine also works with Toys for Tots and other organizations that help veterans, military members and their families.
Brittney was focused on helping others around the world years before she became an attorney. She taught in a school for women in Kenya, volunteered in an orphanage in Nairobi and participated in activism in a politically displaced persons camp in Kenya.
While attending the University of Mississippi School of Law, she was student coordinator of the school’s Pro Bono Initiative. While living in Mississippi, she was a member of the Junior League of Jackson. She also worked with therapy animals and helped provide hygiene services to the unhoused.
Now married and living in Nashville, the couple have unified their philanthropic hearts into one generous effort to create Give It Away so that they may continue stronger what they began apart.
For more info on the Give It Away fund, visit JameyJohnson.com/Give-It-Away.
