The Dickey Foundation was founded by former Dallas County Commissioner Maurine Dickey. During her time on the Commissioners Court and in other public service roles, she became close to many first responders. On the evening of July 7, 2016, fourteen police officers were injured or killed. Many of these officers were not wearing proper protective armor or had out of date safety equipment. Mrs. Dickey saw this tragedy and pledged that this would not happen again on her watch, founding the Dickey Foundation with a mission to help protect first responders. Since its founding, the Foundation has worked with franchisees across North Texas and the nation, providing more than $600,000 in grants since its inception.