Over the years, the Tortorellas have supported a variety of local organizations that enrich the lives of people throughout the Tampa Bay and New York City communities.

Both personally and in conjunction with the NY Rangers Garden of Dreams Foundation and the Tampa Bay Lightning Foundation, they have focused their unique resources to advance amateur hockey and educational enrichment opportunities for children, along with medical research and treatment for those in need.

Four years  after the coaching the Tampa Bay Lightning and winning the Stanley Cup in 2004, our family initiated The John and Christine Tortorella Family Foundation for Giving Back.

We’d been given  a unique opportunity to network with, and behalf of, dedicated people and organizations that work to help others in the community. Whether it be children in disadvantaged situations or animals at risk of abuse and neglect, we strive to become a part of the network of good work.  When it all started, we did not know what our future would bring, but we knew it would provide opportunity to reach out to others.

Additionally, John and Christine have both made great connections with people and organizations that provide for neglected and abused animals,  giving food, shelter, medical/vet care,foster/adoption services, and spay/neutering services.  John and Christine’s two adult children are also very involved in the efforts to make a difference. Their family has always had a great love for animals! The foundation works to help provide support to some of the animals that fall through the ‘cracks’ of the system with the Next Step initiative, with The Way Home and Bear’s Angels programs.  We work in partnership with several great organizations and individuals to provide support to those helping in very often crisis situations of critical need.

 We encourage people to look for ways to help in their own communities and to learn which of the programs and service organizations,  are in alignment with their values and intentions as they choose where to give time and/or donations. 

Please enjoy our site and learn more about ‘what’s going  on out there’ and what you can do to help.   We pledge that any dollar given to our programs will be used to its maximum portion and often be doubled with our matching commitment. We are a small family foundation that has just begun reaching out to others to help, first with the Ranger Dog Walk, and now with our programs that work with smaller groups and individuals where any donation received can help immensely.

*We pledge to be forthright and involved with each entity we designate a recipient of any dollars we give through the foundation.  Our family will often respond to time sensitive critical situations, with our  personal support, because the need is immediate. There are often crisis situations, and immediately help may save a life of an animal. This can leave no time to properly  put it through the processes of our foundation’s polices of discretion and discernment.

Thank you for making a positive difference whereever you chose to make it.

As John would say, “Play hard, walk your dog, and do it the right way!” 

We send our best to your and yours,  Christine and John Tortorella