Today we’d like to introduce you to William Dunn.
Hi William, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My name is William Dunn, founder and president of The Dunn Foundation, a 501c3, non-profit organization based in Washington, DC and Los Angeles, California was started in 2006, after returning from Iraq. I who grew up a troubled and angry youth, not having any male mentors, no Godfather and had a poor relationship with my pops. We never got a chance to mend on our relationship, never had a chance to ask him questions because he passed away while I was still angry. My mom was in Virginia and father in New York City.
I was once told by a high-school principal “I wasn’t going to amount to nothing” and as a youth there were many times that I felt he was right.
In high school, I got suspended for fighting and skipping school almost every year, and some years multiple times a year. I wasn’t dedicated to school academically, I lost three of my close friends and a cousin to gun violence before I was 21yrs old. It wasn’t until I became involved in sports when my life turned around; I was an all-around athlete excelling in basketball, football, track and boxing. I was a Golden Gloves boxing champion and won three state boxing titles as a teenager and went to college on basketball scholarship. I joined the military to play All-Army basketball only to be deployed to Iraq ending my professional basketball career.
When I came back from Iraq I began coaching basketball, football, mentoring and recruiting as his way of being a voice of hope and resource of support for families and communities. It also helped me to focus on doing good things in life instead of focusing on the post traumatic experiences of war, this is when I started The Dunn Foundation, nonprofit organization. I was the director of a community center, and my first event was a luncheon for veterans, where I turned the gym into a banquet hall. I started doing other events where I could bring the community together like Adopt A Soldier, where we sent over 1500 packages to soldiers who were still deployed. I then started the free Back to School Giveaway, Turkey Giveaway and each year things just grew. We first started providing program support in Los Angeles area when one of daughters, Tay, moved to Los Angeles over five years ago and started an afterschool tutoring program under her nonprofit organization, Watered Roots. We provide students with free bookbags for school.
In 2022 we partnered with US Vets, which is one of the largest nonprofit organizations in the country providing housing and resources for homeless veterans. We begin providing free Chick Fil-A meals to the DC location, then we connected with the Inglewood location and started hosting a luncheon for over 300 homeless veterans, partnering with Chick-Fil-A (Inglewood) and Dunkin Donuts. This event is so special, because we turn the dining room area into a banquet hall with decorations, music, food and giveaways. Veterans are greeted by volunteers, seated and served the entire time, they receive the five-star dining experience serving them food, coffee, and desserts. We also acknowledge the veteran for their service and provide giveaways.
The theme of the event is “We Serve You” with a goal to provide hope, encouragement and resources of support.
Despite their circumstances and challenges, “no veteran thought they would become homeless after serving their country.”
We have more work to do, and will continue providing resources of support in Los Angeles and Washington, DC for families and homeless veterans.
Despite my life’s obstacles and discouraging words from my high school principal, I have been able to beat the odds receiving a associates, bachelors, master’s and doctorate degree proving you can be better than the negative environment you are around. I am also the founder of Iamdunn Cleaning Solutions, commercial cleaning business I started in 2009 servicing contracts all over the country including Washington, DC and Los, Angeles, California areas.
You never know the path God has you on for I have been blessed to become a best-selling author, motivational-speaker, entrepreneur, philanthropist and recently received the 2024 Joseph Biden Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for Service and the 2024 Edward Parnell Outstanding Alumnus Award for Service from the University of Maryland Global Campus.
I will never forget my roots and the value of helping others.
“Its Not About How You Start In Life, Its What You Do With That Start in Your Life”
-Dr. William Dunn
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The growth of the foundation has been nothing short of amazing. Each event was started small and only based on helping communities. My business has always been the primary funding source, so we never relied on any major sponsor to make the event happen. I ran community centers for over 25 years so I already had relationships with underserved communities, not to mention, I came from those communities so my goal was to use my growth, relationships and resources to help communities while also helping those who were in positions to help to focus on doing meaningful charity events that had impact and could help families become better for themselves. In the nonprofit space, there is always challenges with fundraising, but I am blessed to have a business that could provide the philanthropy support.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Dunn Foundation?
Our foundation is unique because our active board members consist of my wife, Valarie and our five children: Taylor, Tay, Tahj, Tamir and Taevon. The Dunn Foundation, along with support of family, friends, sponsors and donors we have been able to provide over 10,000 families with free resources over the past 10 years. We were also able to provide over 3,000 families with support during the pandemic year.
We provide year-round initiatives such as The Dunn Foundation Free HBCU College Experience Tour, Annual Back to School Giveaway, Annual Turkey Giveaway providing over 600 families each year with a free turkey and sides. In addition, The Dunn Foundation host an Annual Warming Hearts for the Homeless Initiative, where they provide hundreds of individuals with a book bag that includes blankets, gloves, hats, scarfs, hand-warmers and snacks every year on Christmas Day at So Others Might Eat Homeless Feeding site in Washington, DC. We host an Annual Veterans Appreciation Luncheon serving 200-300 unhoused veterans at US-Vets Inglewood, California along with Chick-Fil-A, Dunkin Donuts and From the Heart Foundation where homeless veterans receive a sit-down luncheon along with giveaways and recognition for their services.
The Dunn Foundation believes that providing people with resources of support not only puts a smile on their faces, but it also gives them “hope” which is the first step toward getting pass life’s challenges
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Chasing “passion over paper” is what has contributed to my success. Everything I do in my life I have been passionate about. I am passionate about writing, speaking, helping and employing others. I tell my kids to always chase your passion, not just paper. Money and growth will come when enjoy what you are doing. If you are just chasing money, you will always be running.
Pricing:
- N/A
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thedunnfoundation.com/
- Instagram: @thedunnfoundation
- Facebook: @thedunnfoundation @iamdunnperiod
- Linkedin: @thedunnfoundation
- Twitter: @iamdunnperiod
- Youtube: Dr. William Dunn
Image Credits
Photos provided Taylormade Photography
