While most Raising Cane’s locations remain open serving drive-thru customers, the dine-in-only location in downtown Baton Rouge has found a new way to keep its workers employed. About a dozen crew members are working eight-hour shifts sewing masks to donate to health care facilities in the region.
“Being actively involved in every community we serve is a part of who we are, especially here in our hometown,” says Raising Cane’s CEO and founder Todd Graves. “While a lot has changed, our commitment to the community has not.”
The crew members work in teams of four, and on alternating days. Raising Cane’s provides all the materials and sewing machines—lined up against the restaurant’s windows—and crew members with previous sewing experience provided the training.
The teams have been working seven days a week—except on Easter Sunday—since April 11. As of April 25, they had produced more than 1,000 masks, with another 1,000 expected to be completed this week.
The first donation of masks went to Our Lady of the Lake in Baton Rouge, and the next 1,000 masks will be donated to a health care facility in New Orleans. Crew members will continue to make and donate masks until dine-in restaurants can reopen.
In addition to donating masks, Raising Cane’s hosted a virtual entertainment series on its Facebook page that raised more than $35,000 for the Bella Bowman Foundation. It also partnered with Peyton Manning’s family to feed 3,000 front-line health care workers in New Orleans.
Read the full story from the latest edition of 225 Dine. Subscribe to the free e-newsletter here to keep up with Baton Rouge food and events.
