Dassatti has dedicated countless hours volunteering with the ALS Association Florida Chapter which supports patients and their families. He first got involved after he met a neighbor who was diagnosed with ALS and learned of the physical, emotional and financial toll the disease can have and became compelled to make a difference.
Over the past 10 years Dassatti raised thousands of dollars for ALS and impacted the lives of the nearly 300 Tampa Bay area residents battling the deadly disease. Dassatti has hosted annual fundraising events, advocated for improved public policy and federal funding, and is a tireless community ambassador for the cause.
Dassatti becomes the 433rd 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 $22.6 million to more than 750 different nonprofits in the Greater Tampa Bay area. During the summer of 2016, the Viniks announced that the community hero program will give away another $10 million over the next five seasons.
