Hudson has been instrumental in furthering Operation Healing Forces mission and supporting the organization since its inception. Hudson is a Retired Army Lietenant Colonel who served his country honorably for over 20 years and eight deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He has received many honors for the work he did during his decorated career, including the Legion of Merit Award, two Bronze Stars, three Meritous Service Medals and the Combat Infantryman's Badge. Now, Hudson serves as the Executive Director of Operation Healing Forces, where he continues to support his brothers and sisters in arms.
The grant tonight will be used to support the mission of Operation Healing Forces, specifically in providing assistance to members of the Special Operations Forces (SOF). Operation Healing Forces is comprised of a Retreat Program and a Special Operations Additional Resource (SOAR) Program. The Retreat Program is comprised of therapeutic couple retreats, caregiver retreats, and Gold Star Family retreats. This funding will help make 50 retreats possible in 2023. The SOAR Program provides assistance to SOF members and their families within 24 hours of an Immediate Needs Request (INR), which can range anywhere from requests for medical equipment, assistance with funeral costs, and travel expenses.
Hudson became the 518th 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 $28.27 million to more than 700 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.
