TAMPA, FL – The Tampa Bay Lightning honored Rachelle Thompson as the Lightning Community Hero this evening during the first period of tonight’s game against the Washington Capitals. Thompson, who received a $50,000 donation from the Lightning Foundation and the Lightning Community Hero program, presented by Jabil, will donate the money to Feeding Tampa Bay.

Thompson has been with Feeding Tampa Bay for over 5 years and has brought her passion for building programs that benefit those in need in our community. She leads a courageous team that responds to the immediate needs of those seeking help; whether that is with food assistance, crisis intervention support, or connecting to community resources. Thompson spends her days working alongside her team at Trinity Café, the Feeding Pinellas Empowerment Center, or Feeding Tampa Bay’s new Causeway Center, where collectively her team serves over 600 neighbors everyday. She believes deeply in the power of collective impact – that by pulling together we can change the lives of our neighbors and build a better community for all.

The funds from tonight’s grant will be used to expand Feeding Tampa Bay’s reach across our region. Specifically, the funding will be allocated to support Feeding Tampa Bay’s Neighbor Services, which offers comprehensive assistance beyond food relief aid to reform social services and promote self-sufficiency. It will continue to make possible assistance to approximately 550 individuals with 1,215 services each month.

Thompson became the 594th Lightning Community Hero since the Vinik Family introduced the Lightning Community Hero program in 2011-12 with a $10 million, five-season commitment to the Tampa Bay community. Through tonight’s game, in total, the Lightning Foundation has granted $32.07 million to nearly 750 unique nonprofits in the Greater Tampa Bay area. During the summer of 2021, the Vinik family announced that the Community Hero program will contribute another $10 million over the next five seasons.