Sullivan has been an instrumental part of GiGi's Playhouse's board, starting as a member and now serving as President. When he and his wife found out their first child would be born with Down syndrome, Sullivan made it a priority to educate himself on the diagnosis as well as advocate for those who have it. This has led him to assist in growing programs currently offered at GiGi's Playhouse, as well as create new programs that fit in the Tampa Playhouse. Sullivan has been instrumental in the launching of the Amina Grace Speech & Language Program at GiGi's Playhouse, which launched in fall of 2021.
The grant tonight will be used to support GiGi's Playhouse's Amina Grace Speech & Language Program. This program benefits people of all ages with Down syndrome by providing a 10-15-week session offered by a speech language pathologist. With the Community Hero funding, Gigi's Playhouse will be able to enroll 10 children in each of their three sessions in 2022, fostering self-confidence, comprehension, problem-solving, social skills and overall quality of life for those living with Down syndrome.
Sullivan became the 489th 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 $25.55 million to more than 600 unique nonprofits in the Greater Tampa Bay area. During the summer of 2021, the Viniks announced the community hero program will give away another $10 million over the next five seasons.
