Traub was born shortly after World War II in Johannesburg, South Africa. Her maternal grandfather was a Holocaust survivor, and her parents were refugees who managed to flee the horrors of Nazi Germany. This family history has had a profound impact on Traub, who has discovered her love of helping people, particularly young children. This led to her volunteering with immigrants and refugees, tutoring English as a Second Language and helping families settle into their new homes. She also played an integral role in helping those who fled Afghanistan in 2021. Her commitment has helped numerous families fleeing their home countries find safety and a new home in Florida.
The grant tonight will be used to support the mission of Gulf Coast Jewish Family and Community Services. Specifically, the funds will go toward their Refugee Services, which welcomes and helps refugees from around the world. Some of the programs offered include Reception and Placement, Intensive Case Management for Refugees with Special Needs, the Match Grant Refugee Employment Program, and the Refugee Micro-Enterprise Development Program, which promotes refugee women's entrepreneurship and normalizes business ownership.
Traub became the 538th 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 $29.27 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.
