Overview:

Gayle Benson, owner of the New Orleans Saints and Governor of the New Orleans Pelicans, and Todd Graves, founder of Raising Cane’s, continued their annual Month of Giving initiative at the YMCA of the Capital Area in Baton Rouge. Benson presented a charitable donation supporting a newly renovated locker room at the facility, and Graves donated bikes and helmets to YMCA youth as part of a nationwide effort. The initiative is designed to reach communities across Louisiana and the Gulf Coast, not just one city or organization.

BATON ROUGE, La. — On Wednesday morning, the spirit of the season was on full display at the YMCA of the Capital Area – A.C. Lewis YMCA, where Gayle Benson, owner of the New Orleans Saints and Governor of the New Orleans Pelicans, continued her annual Month of Giving initiative alongside Raising Cane’s founder and owner Todd Graves.

Raising Cane’s, who has their corporate offices just north of Dallas in Plano, Texas, doesn’t just operate more than 800 restaurants across 40 U.S. states. They also are a crucial part of the North Texas metro corporate landscape, “greatly enhancing [Plano’s] local economy and creating hundreds of high-wage jobs for our citizens,” according to Plano, Texas, Mayor John B. Muns, and are no strangers to giving back to their local communities either.

What unfolded in Baton Rouge was more than a holiday event, it was a reminder of how sustained, visible philanthropy can strengthen communities across Louisiana and the Gulf Coast, especially when leaders commit their time, resources, and influence to youth and families who need it most.

As part of the visit, Mrs. Benson presented a charitable donation supporting a newly renovated locker room at the A.C. Lewis YMCA, a space that will serve more than 500 young athletes involved in youth sports programs at the facility. For Benson, investing in places like the YMCA represents a long-term commitment to the well-being of young people throughout the region.

“The YMCA plays a vital role in shaping the lives of young people in the Baton Rouge community and beyond,” Benson said. “When you invest in places like this, you’re investing in families, in health, and in the future of Louisiana.”

She emphasized that her Month of Giving is designed to reach communities across the state, not just one city or organization.

BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA – DECEMBER 17: Raising Cane’s Owner & Founder Todd Graves joins New Orleans Saints Owner Gayle Benson in Baton Rouge for Bike Donation to The YMCA Of The Capital Area on December 17, 2025 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images for Raising Cane’s )

“I like to do things all over the state,” Benson said. “We have people everywhere, and I want to include everybody. No matter where you live, what you give matters to someone.”

Alongside Benson, Graves continued Raising Cane’s 6th annual Holiday Bike Giveaway, donating bikes and helmets to YMCA youth as part of a nationwide effort that has become one of the brand’s most meaningful traditions. Inspired by his own childhood memory of receiving a bike for Christmas, the initiative has grown to impact thousands of families.

“No matter what the amount, when you give something, it ripples in people’s lives,” Benson emphasized during the media availability. “It touches children, parents, and entire communities.”

This year alone, Raising Cane’s is donating 4,500 bikes and helmets to nearly 30 youth organizations across the country, many of them located throughout Louisiana and the Gulf South- regions where access to safe recreation and transportation can make a real difference for children.

“For me, it’s about being grateful for the success we’ve had and understanding the responsibility that comes with it,” Graves said. “What you can share with people is ultimately your purpose.”

Graves also spoke about how these efforts extend beyond one-day events and into shaping a culture of service across Louisiana.

(Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images for Raising Cane’s )

“We hope kids see these kinds of things and pick it up,” he said. “That they pay it forward when they’re older. Being kind is being kind, no matter the amount. Sometimes it’s as simple as helping someone have a good day when they’re not having one.”

Players come to me and ask, ‘What can I do and how can I do this?’ And I tell them it doesn’t matter how much money you give. It just matters that you do something.

Gayle Benson, owner of the New Orleans Saints and the New Orleans Pelicans

During the press conference, both leaders stressed the importance of leading by example, particularly within professional sports and major business organizations that have influence across the Gulf Coast. Benson noted that her approach to philanthropy has helped inspire Saints and Pelicans players to launch their own foundations and community initiatives.

“It matters a great deal to me,” Benson said. “Our players come to me and ask, ‘What can I do and how can I do this?’ And I tell them it doesn’t matter how much money you give. It just matters that you do something.”

Graves echoed that sentiment, pointing to Benson’s impact on the broader sports community in Louisiana.

“The example she sets is incredible,” Graves said. “You see it from small projects to big commitments, and it inspires people — players, coaches, business leaders — to step up. It’s a cultural thing here.”

The Off-Court Culture of Giving Back

That culture, both said, is what helps sustain communities across the Gulf Coast long after the holidays pass. Benson described success not in wins or losses, but in the lives touched off the field.

“Off the field, success is how much you give, how you treat other people, and how active you are in the community,” she said. “Anybody can give money, but it’s the time you spend and the people you help that truly matters.”

(Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images for Raising Cane’s ) Credit: (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images for Raising Cane’s )

Graves spoke candidly about how business success has given him the opportunity to influence lives — from first-job experiences at Raising Cane’s to partnerships like Wednesday’s event.

“God made me good at chicken fingers to help people,” Graves said. “That’s my purpose. With success comes responsibility — to lead well, to give back, and to make sure communities across this state are stronger because of it.”

The YMCA of the Capital Area, which serves eight locations and more than 15,700 individuals across Greater Baton Rouge, stands as one of those pillars of community support. Founded in 1917, the organization has supported generations of families through youth sports, wellness programs, and safe spaces for children — a mission that aligns directly with Benson’s vision for the region.

“I believe it’s important for adults and children to stay active and healthy,” Benson said. “When we support places like the YMCA, we’re giving people opportunities to live better, longer lives.”

(Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images for Raising Cane’s )

As Louisiana and the Gulf Coast continue to face economic and social challenges, both Benson and Graves emphasized that sustained giving — not just seasonal generosity — is what creates lasting change. It’s change like this that we see echoed in cities across the south, especially in Sunny South Dallas.

“Taking the time matters,” Graves said. “People see it. Kids see it. Communities feel it. And that example carries on.”

In Baton Rouge, that message was clear: when leaders invest locally with a regional vision, the impact stretches far beyond one morning — strengthening families, inspiring future leaders, and reinforcing a culture of care across Louisiana and the Gulf South. Communities like ours are their strongest when in the culture of giving back.

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