At the age of 18, Dunn was forced to take care of his 5 siblings when his mom, Betty Dunn Smothers, a Baton Rouge police officer was killed in an "off-duty" shooting. She was a single mom striving to raise 6 kids, while working an extra job as a security guard to earn more money.
Warrick assumed guardianship over his siblings and used insurance money to purchase a home for the family. Through her death, an opportunity for stability and home ownership had been given to her kids.
It was this experience along with the encouragement from his coach to become more involved with his community that led Warrick to begin a non-profit foundation honoring his mom. Warrick Dunn Charities has partnered with other community organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and has provided over 140 homes to single parents.
Many of the homes are given to the families fully furnished and with down payment assistance resources. As a Real Estate professional for over 13 years, this is definitely one of the greatest charitable efforts that I have seen. I definitely commend Warrick for using his tragedy to bring joy into the lives of others.