BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — Today marks a new beginning for a Baton Rouge single mother and her children as their dreams come true with the help of a former NFL player with a big heart.
“Actually, when I got here and I was coming out of the car, I was like… I feel like I was about to pass out,” said single mother Beloti Mbuyi.
Mbuyi stepped foot into her dream house with tears in her eyes and her daughters behind her as they walk inside their new home.
“I’m happy and I’ve been [crying]. It was a big surprise,” she said.
Mbuyi grew up in the Republic of Congo and found her way to Baton Rouge after looking for a safer home. Mbuyi was gifted Warrick Dunn’s 201st Dream Home. Dunn is a former NFL player for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Baton Rouge native who believes in helping others.
“For me, it’s when the families walk through the home for the first time, they open a door. That is a life-changing moment. And for me, that never, ever, ever gets old” said Dunn.
It’s a part of his mission to help guide single parents into homeownership.
“I want to help a family with a true fresh start to homeownership, and that’s giving them additional money for a down payment assistance,” said Dunn.
With keys in her hands, the single mother of two stepped into a fully furnished home, ready to make memories.
“All of them look good and everything is good, they look perfect. My kids, they’re very happy. They didn’t know like it’s going to be like this,” said Mbuyi.
“A big cost, a burden for a lot of families early on — and this is my mom’s issue. If we did get a house…she couldn’t afford the down payment and we could not fully furnish the home,” said Dunn.
Dunn’s initiative was birthed out of the love his mother had for him — fighting hard times and making ends meet. It helps people like Mbuyi find their beginning.
“That’s when the true journey begins for them as a family,” Dunn added.
Dunn offers classes on homeownership through his charity so families have the tools that they need to be successful.