AUSTELL, Ga. — Falcons great Warrick Dunn partnered up with Habitat for Humanity to help a single mother become a first-time homeowner, just in time for the holidays.
Dunn, a former star running back, helped Sherkira and her family step foot inside their new home in Austell on Tuesday, with a house-warming gift of a $5,000 down-payment assistance check and $10,000 in home furnishings from Aaron's.
"The struggles that families go through - my mom, six kids... that was a struggle for her," Dunn told Sherkira. "So it just took me back, to read your story and understand your struggle and the things that you were trying to do for you and your two kids, and me today I'm just excited that I'm here to help you take the next step forward in your life."
"I thank everybody that came and helped build this home," an overwhelmed Sherkira said, also thanking Dunn, the charities involved and her kids.
Habitat for Humanity said Sherkira is a "hardworking member of the Douglasville community" who drives buses for Connect Douglas.
"A single mom to two teenagers, Sherkira currently rents a house and has long dreamed of becoming a homeowner," a statement said. "In addition to the safety and security it will provide, she is excited to truly make it her own and leave a legacy for her family."
Dunn helped guide the project with his Warrick Dunn Charities organization, which "identifies single parents across the country and helps them achieve their goal of first-time homeownership as part of its 'Homes for the Holidays' program."