Luke Bryan & Raising Cane’s Announce $1M Donation In Support Of Heart Disease Research
on Apr 08, 2025
Luke Bryan Is Raising Funds And Raising Awareness With Raising Cane’s
Country music superstar Luke Bryan is showing his heart for others through his latest philanthropic partnership. Despite a stacked calendar with a summer concert tour and a judging spot on American Idol, the award-winning musician makes it a priority to give back. He says:
“When you look at the blessings in country music that I have been given and, as a family, we always just do what we can to give back and make time for it. I mean, we miss out on some sleep but at the end of the day, it feels good to do the right stuff.”
On Tuesday morning (April 8), Luke Bryan and Raising Cane’s founder, Todd Graves, met at the beloved fried chicken chain’s Franklin, Tennessee, location to announce a very special partnership supporting The Brett Boyer Foundation.
About The Brett Boyer Foundation
The Brett Boyer Foundation was established in 2017 by Luke and Caroline Bryan, along with their brother and sister-in-law, Bo and Ellen Boyer. The non-profit was created in loving memory of their daughter and niece, Sadie “Brett” Boyer, who was diagnosed prenatally with Down syndrome and a congenital heart defect (CHD).
Brett passed away after just seven sweet months of life, but her legacy lives on through the inspiring and impactful work of her namesake foundation.
The Brett Boyer Foundation’s mission is to “fund CHD research, support CHD families and providers, and celebrate the Down syndrome community.” Their key areas of focus are awareness and funding for CHD research, financial and mental health support for families affected by these conditions, and advocacy for individuals with Down Syndrome.
In 2022, the Brett Boyer Foundation funded research that led to the world’s first partial heart transplant. More than 30 partial heart transplants have been performed to date. Bryan shared that 36 children are alive today because of the work of the organization. He added:
“In ten years there may be hundreds, if not thousands, of them.”
Raising Cane’s Commits To $1M Donation Towards Down Syndrome & CHD Research
Through their friendship, Luke Bryan was able to share with Todd Graves his passion for helping those with CHD and Down syndrome, inspired by his family’s real-life experience. As a result, Graves and Raising Cane’s have committed to donating $1 million to the Brett Boyer Foundation over the course of four years.
Raising Cane’s is one of the fastest-growing restaurant brands in the country. It has nearly 900 restaurants in 40+ states and plans to open more than 100 new restaurants across several new markets in 2025.
Along with the commercial success, Graves puts gratitude at the center of the culture of his business and believes that “success is measured by what you can give back.” He adds:
“It might sound a little funny, but I think God made me good at chicken to help people.”
To date, Cane’s has donated more than $140M to various efforts, and Graves pledged an additional $30M to local communities this year alone.
Luke Bryan expressed his appreciation for the “tremendous” donation. He told Country Rebel that he hopes this initiative will have a positive impact on families that “don’t know what the future of their child is going to be” or “how hard that road is.”
“I have pinch-me moments every day, and to be able to come do this and raise money for a lot of people that will really appreciate it is where my head will be for many, many years,” said Bryan.
Graves echoed the sentiment, adding that the financial support has the potential to cause a “ripple effect,” leading to better research, better teaching, and better treatment.
Luke Bryan Gets Hand-On At Raising Cane’s
To celebrate the initiative, Luke Bryan “worked a shift” at the restaurant, taking orders and serving customers in the Raising Cane’s drive-thru. He joked that his time selling concessions as a teen prepared him for this moment.
Todd Graves graciously provided those in attendance with a free meal of Cane’s famous chicken fingers, ensuring that everyone left with a full stomach and a full heart.
Learn more about The Brett Boyer Foundation and get involved here.
