06/01/2026
Former NFL star Warrick Dunn has helped over 250 single parents become first-time homeowners. Growing up in a single-parent household in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, he learned the challenges families face.
After his mother, Corporal Betty Smothers, passed away, Warrick took responsibility for his five siblings. In his autobiography Running for My Life, he reflected, “She was the mom, and I became the father figure. Suddenly it was just me, and I had to take action.”
Drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1997, Warrick was inspired by coach Tony Dungy to give back. That lesson led to Warrick Dunn Charities, which helps single parents across 16 states with home down payments, furnishings, and groceries.
He says one lesson from his mother guides him: “Never lose sight of where blessings come from, and our responsibility to care for and serve others.”
(Photo: Warrick Dunn Charities / NFL)