Bob Gries has been called the "Warren Buffet of Tampa Bay". His company, Gries Investment Funds, is an organization that provides lending and equity capital for businesses.

Bob moved from New York City to Tampa in 1991. As the original owner of the Tampa Bay Storm, he was involved in the community from the very beginning. Over the years, he has supported numerous non-profit organizations.

Late last year, Bob took a tour of the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay and was invited to attend the 2018 Cup of Compassion Breakfast in February. When it was mentioned from the podium that Dex Imaging, and Melanie and Richard Gonzmart had made $25,000 matching gifts, Bob asked Crisis Center CEO, Clara Reynolds, to announce he would add an additional $25,000 matching gift.

"Giving is contagious. It's something we can all feel good about. At the Cup of Compassion, I was hoping to stimulate some momentum and inspire others to give what they can."

Indeed, there was momentum at the breakfast. The event total was $413,719, one of the largest amounts ever raised at the annual event.

A major reason Bob made the decision to support the Crisis Center was because of what he was seeing in the media. Watching documentaries like The Hunting Ground, and reading news stories about the #MeToo movement and the Larry Nassar/USA Gymnastics case made Bob realize the importance of the Crisis Center's work in the community.

"This cause is more timely than ever," says Bob. "All of us are more fortunate than someone else. It's important to make a better, more compassionate community, and to dig deep to try to make a difference."