TAMPA, FL – The Tampa Bay Lightning honored Nivia Montanez as the Lightning Community Hero this evening during the first period of tonight’s game against the New York Islanders. Montanez, who received a $50,000 donation from the Lightning Foundation and the Lightning Community Hero program, presented by Jabil, will donate the money to Enterprising Latinas.
Montanez has been an integral part of the Enterprising Latinas team over the past 15 months, after having been a participant in the program herself for a year. Montanez arrived in Tampa from Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria to create a new life for herself in Florida. She steadfastly overcame all of the challenges that come with relocating to a different country and has been successful in making Tampa home. During this time, she was able to reaffirm her passion and focus on her personal purpose of helping others through mentorship and coaching. She currently serves as Enterprising Latinas’ Economic Mobility Mentor & Coach, supporting members who need support to identify and work through their goals for economic prosperity.
The funds from tonight’s grant will be used to support the mission of Enterprising Latinas. Specifically, the funding will assist in the expansion of their Wimauma Opportunity Center, which provides resources for individuals looking for career and personal support as they create plans for their future. The funding will assist 250 low-to-moderate income residents of south Hillsborough County to achieve their economic mobility goals over the course of a 12-month service period.
Montanez became the 583rd Lightning Community Hero since Jeff and Penny Vinik 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 $31.52 million to nearly 750 unique nonprofits in the Greater Tampa Bay area. During the summer of 2021, the Viniks announced that the Community Hero program will give away another $10 million over the next five seasons.
