TAMPA, FL – The Tampa Bay Lightning honored John and Holly Tomlin as the Lightning Community Heroes this evening during the first period of tonight’s game against the Seattle Kraken. The Tomlins, who received a $50,000 donation from the Lightning Foundation and the Lightning Community Hero program, presented by Jabil, will donate the money to Junior Achievement.
The Tomlins’ commitment to Tampa’s growth over nearly five decades has made a profound impact throughout the region. They are both very passionate about fostering the development of local youth and guiding them as they become active, positive contributors to society. Through hands-on volunteering and philanthropy, they continue to support organizations such as Junior Achievement and Big Brothers Big Sisters, playing pivotal roles in promoting corporate social responsibility. They have been huge supporters of Junior Achievement’s 3DE program, which re-engineers high school education to be more relevant, experiential, and authentically-connected to the complexities of the real world in order to prepare today’s students for the demands of tomorrow’s economy. Through the Tomlins’ support, 3DE has impacted the lives of 3,295 local at-risk youth in Tampa Bay.
The funds from tonight’s grant will be used to support Junior Achievement’s 3DE program. Specifically, the funding will support critical components of the program, including teacher development, instructional resources, corporate activation and engagement, student support services, and so much more. With this support, Junior Achievement will continue to prepare students for success in both college and career training.
The Tomlins became the 618th Lightning Community Heroes 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 $33.27 million to over 775 unique nonprofits in the Greater Tampa Bay area. During the summer of 2021, the Vinik Family announced that the Community Hero program would continue its commitment with an additional $10 million through the 2025-26 season. Upon joining the ownership group of the Tampa Bay Lightning in October 2024, Doug Ostrover, Marc Lipschultz, and their families have teamed up with the Vinik Family to contribute to the program and ensure its continued success and lasting impact across the Tampa Bay community.
