A Little Hope's 11th Annual Gala to Honor Philanthropist and Former NFL Great Warrick Dunn

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May 30, 2012, 11:46 ET

NEW YORK, May 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Former NFL star running back Warrick Dunn will be honored for his outstanding charitable contributions at A Little Hope's 'A Night For Our Children' 11th annual fundraising gala. A Little Hope is a non-profit, charitable foundation that provides grief counseling and bereavement support services to children and teens who have experienced the loss of a parent or a loved one.

The annual event will take place on Thursday, June 7, 2012 at Espace (635 West 42nd Street, New York) from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. The event, hosted by Sebastian Clarke of Antiques Roadshow/Doyle New York, will feature music by DJ Erock and a live auction with prizes including a Napa Valley getaway package, a loft suite to a Jay Z concert and courtside seats to the U.S. Open with access to the players' lounge and press room.

Dunn will be honored with the 'A Little Hope' Visionary Award for his work with Betty's Hope Children's Bereavement Program, a new initiative of Warrick Dunn Charities, Inc. The mission of Betty's Hope is to empower youth to manage grief in a responsive environment to heal and enhance their quality of life. The program targets youth ages 5-18, who, like Dunn, have experienced the tragic loss of a parent, guardian or loved one to a violent crime. Documentary filmmaker and producer Rory Kennedy was a previous honoree at the 'A Night for Our Children' gala.

"I'm extremely honored to be recognized this year by A Little Hope," said Dunn. "The programs they provide for grieving children are truly outstanding. A Little Hope's initiatives perfectly align with those of Betty's Hope. I know together we can help raise awareness about the importance of children's bereavement programs."

Dunn was drafted in 1997 to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after playing football at Florida State, where he set records for the most career rushing yards and most rushing yards in a single season. After being drafted, he was awarded the AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award in 1997. That same year he established the Homes for the Holidays program. Since 1997, Homes for the Holidays has helped single parents and children achieve the American Dream of first-time homeownership. When Dunn signed with the Atlanta Falcons in 2002, Homes for the Holidays followed him to Atlanta, GA. In 2007, the Warrick Dunn Charities expanded to serve Tallahassee, FL, where Dunn graduated from Florida State University. Dunn rejoined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2008 to 2009. Throughout his professional career, he earned three Pro Bowl selections and became one of only twenty-six running backs to have rushed more than 10,000 yards.

"Warrick has already made an incredible impact on the lives of thousands of children both on and off the field," said Richard H. Schimel, President of A Little Hope and co-founder of Diamondback Capital Management. "We believe his newest initiative Betty's Hope will have a positive effect on children in Baton Rouge, Louisiana by improving the lives of those who are struggling through the loss of a loved one."

A limited number of tickets and sponsorships are still available. Individual tickets are $250.00 and sponsorships range from $5,000 to $50,000.

About A Little Hope, Inc.

A Little Hope, Inc. is a not for profit, publicly supported charitable foundation founded in early 2002, as a personal response to the World Trade Center tragedy. A Little Hope is the first single national organization dedicated to raising awareness and money to advance the growth of children's grief support and expansion of bereavement centers for grieving children and teens in the United States. A Little Hope provides services for more than 250,000 American children and teens and has funded 86 bereavement organizations in 38 states. Since 2003, A Little Hope has raised over $6 million dollars.

President Richard H. Schimel and Managing Director Amy Liebman-Rapp, a nationally known child and adolescent bereavement specialist, lead the Board of Directors, which is comprised of highly regarded individuals in their respective fields of Accounting, Advertising, Finance, Hedge Fund Management, Hospitality, Information Technology, Insurance, Investment Banking, Law, Marketing, Public Relations and Publishing.

About Warrick Dunn Charities, Inc.

Warrick Dunn Charities, Inc. improves lives through innovative programming inspired by its founder's life journey. For more information, visit www.wdc.org.

SOURCE A Little Hope, Inc.