Kidd Kraddick had been hinting for weeks that Raising Cane’s had a big surprise in store for the 52 children participating in this year’s Kidd’s Kids trip to Disney World. During Thursday night’s welcome dinner at the Swan Hotel, Todd Graves ended the suspense.
“Who here likes surprises?” asked Graves, founder and CEO of Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers.
Dozens of children’s hands shot up and high-pitched screams filled the ballroom.
“The entire crew from Raising Cane’s and I thought you might have some fun with one of these,” Graves said, as he lifted up one of the 52 custom-designed iPads he had brought to the event. “We just wanted you to have something special to remember from your friends at Cane’s.”
The room filled with terminally, chronically, and severely disabled children and their families erupted.
“How awesome is that?” says Kraddick, host of the most-listened-to contemporary morning show in America and founder of the Kidd’s Kids charity. “Once again, Todd and his crew from Raising Cane’s have gone above and beyond. What an incredible company!”
The iPad surprise was just the latest in a series of major initiatives Raising Cane’s has undertaken for the cause. On June 6th, the rapidly expanding chicken fingers chain hosted Kidd’s Kids Dine-in Day, during which every child involved with the charity nationwide was invited to eat free at their nearest Cane’s all day, along with the rest of his or her immediate family. The same day, Graves presented the company’s first check to the Kraddick Foundation in the amount of $10,000.
Last month, Raising Cane’s presented a check to the Kraddick Foundation for $31,560, representing the donations made by generous Cane’s customers along with more than 100 participating restaurants nationwide that pledged 15 percent of their net proceeds on Kidd’s Kids Day, October 17th.
Kidd’s Kids, a program of the Kraddick Foundation, was established in 1991 with the hope of making a difference in the lives of terminally and chronically ill children. Each year, Kidd's Kids offers five amazing days of suspended reality to children whose lives have been ravaged by disease, with an all-expenses paid dream vacation to Disney World for the kids and their immediate family.