On a day that was merry and bright in New York City, Raising Cane’s Global Flagship wheeled out a holiday gifting campaign that brought joy and everlasting memories to the kids of Boys & Girls Club of Harlem.
The season took off with grand speed as a bevy of special guests joined Todd Graves, Raising Cane’s Owner and Founder, and “The Queen of Christmas” actress Lacey Chabert in Times Square for a remarkable day of giving and fun. In Times Square, the magic of the day illuminated as bright as the famous New Year’s Eve ball of Times Square itself. Revelers gathered to see the sweet and touching day that hosted the Boys & Girls Club of Harlem in a Cane’s-themed winter wonderland.
(Courtesy Raising Cane’s)
Located just across from Raising Cane’s Global Flagship, the duo hosted the event at Military Island through a complete takeover featuring giant candy canes, presents, carolers, Santa, Christmas trees, and festive decor that rivaled even the brightest lights of the city.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 10: (L-R) Dolores Catania, Ciara Miller, Santa Claus, Dorinda Medley, Jesse Solomon and Peter Weber attend as Lacey Chabert joins Raising Cane’s Owner and Founder Todd Graves for a bike donation to Harlem Boys & Girls Club at Military Island, Times Square on December 10, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Raising Cane’s )
“This year marked our fifth annual bike giveaway and it was incredibly special as we partnered with Lacey to bring the holiday magic to life,” Graves reflected. “Lacey is truly ‘The Queen of Christmas’ and she brings joy to my family and those across the country each year with her iconic holiday movies. She embodies the spirit of the season and I couldn’t think of anyone better to help us spread cheer through our bike giveaway.”
It was a mosaic of bliss as the children lit up in wide smiles when the very special guest of Santa Claus along with celebrity helper elves Dolores Catania (current RHONJ), Ciara Miller (Summer House), Dorinda Medley (former RHONY), Jesse Solomon (Summer House), Peter Weber (aka Pilot Pete, The Bachelor), and Malik Nabers (Giants Wide Receiver) helped distribute bikes and helmets to them.
Sprinkled in holiday magic, 100 bikes built by Maximum Electric Corp were on-site for the event and each child got to test drive out their special present. The wonderland made them happy and you could see the twinkle in their eyes that was as grand as the Big Apple. It was a majestic. It was marvelous. It is what the holidays are all about.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 10: A view of bikes as Lacey Chabert joins Raising Cane’s Owner and Founder Todd Graves for a bike donation to Harlem Boys & Girls Club at Military Island, Times Square on December 10, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Raising Cane’s )
“I’m so thankful to Todd and Raising Cane’s for providing this opportunity to the Boys and Girls Club of Harlem. This is truly a Christmas miracle and such an incredible gift,” said Nigel Bell, director of program operations for Boys & Girls Club of Harlem.
Cane’s is donating 400 total bikes to the Boys & Girls Club of Harlem. Cane’s will host a bike riding clinic at the Boys & Girls Club of Harlem to teach those that don’t know how to ride a bike to ensure all of the kids can enjoy their gifts.
The compassion of giving is something that Graves and his team know all about. Chicken fingers is just a small component of what makes the sauce of this company have a meaningful mixture. It is how the company does business and how they build a community with the support of team players and celebrity friends that outshines what other franchises do any time of the year – not just the holidays.
(Courtesy Raising Cane’s)
“I love being in New York City and helping kids, so for us to be able to partner with Boys & Girls Club of Harlem is an absolute joy,” the founder explained further. “We’re donating 2,500 bikes across the country, but it’s all about the impact we make right here in the local community today and every day of the year.”
And his reason for doing so is not just another giveaway. It bursts from a childhood moment that grew into a dream come true as an adult for the restaurant visionary.
“Each Christmas morning I would come downstairs, see a bike, and get so excited, and ever since I wanted to give back and spread that same joy to kids in need across the country,” said Graves. “At the end of the day, it’s not about what you get, it’s about what you give. It’s my purpose and privilege to be able to give back and I’m looking forward to continuing this great tradition for years to come.”
With a heart of crispy gold, Graves proves that the meteoric rise of Raising Cane’s is only a dazzling shooting star that will continue to influence and bring happiness to the world over the years to come.
In addition to bike giveaways, the brand is “Raising a Little Cane” this holiday season with candy cane-themed retail and plush puppies, which are available to purchase at all Cane’s Restaurants with proceeds going to local pet welfare organizations. In total, Cane’s will donate more than $500,000 to these organizations as a result of the plush puppies, which feature Cane III donning her best candy cane suit and red sunglasses.
To further celebrate the holiday season, Cane’s decorated each Flagship Restaurant in true holiday style, with the most festive being none other than the Global Flagship in Times Square. Staying true to the “Raise a Little Cane” theme, Times Square-goers can see Cane III “raising a little cane” as she playfully steals Santa’s hat and embarks through a series of scenes in this totally immersive display. Named TimeOut’s No.1 NYC Christmas window display, the masterpiece spans 1,400 square feet and includes more than 30 handmade elves, Santa Clauses, snowmen, reindeer and Cane IIIs; animatronic pieces including a pickup truck, ski lift, and an ice skating elf parade; 18-foot lit-up acrylic Christmas tree; more than 500 individually hand-painted crinkle-cut fries; 20 pounds of glitter; a festive bridge with more than 960 hand-painted bricks, and more! In total, the design team spent more than 14,000 hours conceptualizing, modeling and building the breathtaking display. The Restaurant also features Will Ferrell’s real elf costume from the hit movie “Elf.”
For more information, please visit Raising Cane’s.
Happy Holidays!