The origins of Darkhorse Benefits trace back to 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Founder Rob Mott, drawing on his experience in Special Operations, recognized that those same skills could be redirected to help people in crisis. Over the course of 13 response missions, the early Darkhorse team took on construction projects, carried out high-risk supply drops, and delivered aid to Red Cross shelters across the Gulf Coast.

In the following years, Darkhorse turned its focus to supporting vulnerable children in Orlando’s homeless shelters—organizing theme park visits and hosting holiday events to lift their spirits and provide moments of joy.

In 2012, Darkhorse was officially granted 501(c)(3) nonprofit status by the IRS. With this milestone, the organization narrowed its mission to create lasting impact by supporting members of the Special Operations Forces (SOF) community, particularly during their transition from military to civilian life. This new focus also saw the launch of Operation Shuteye, which would grow into one of the most impactful SOF veteran donation programs in history.

As Darkhorse has grown, so has its mission. Today, our programs fall into two main categories: Support and Expeditionary.

• Support Programs include Operation Shuteye, SOFEP (Special Operations Forces Employment Program), career transition assistance, and more.

• Expeditionary Programs involve deployments to combat human trafficking, disaster response missions, and operations in conflict zones.

These initiatives don’t just serve communities in need—they also serve our veterans. Through hands-on missions and targeted support, veterans experience smoother career transitions, stronger reintegration with family, relief from PTSD, and improved physical health—especially through the orthopedic benefits provided by Operation Shuteye.