View: https://www.live5news.com/video/2026/06/09/video-greg-olsen-hosts-5th-annual-heartest-yard-charity-event-kiawah/
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QC Life) – Stacey McCray, Vice President of Communications at Bojangles, Greg Olsen, co-founder of The HEARTest Yard, and Leannie McAllister, associate director of The Children’s Heart Foundation, join QC Life to share the impact of the Bojangles Gives From the Heart campaign.
The six-week in-store fundraiser donated 10% of all heart-shaped Bo-Berry Biscuit sales, along with proceeds from guests rounding up their orders to the nearest dollar, benefiting The HEARTest Yard and the Bojangles Foundation. The campaign exceeded its goal – raising more than $650,000 to support pediatric heart patients in our community.
To learn more, visit www.bojangles.com/foundation, www.childrensheartfoundation.org, and receptionsforresearch.org.
View: https://qclife.wbtv.com/2026/05/21/bojangles-foundation-supports-pediatric-heart-patients/
RALEIGH, N.C. – Amy Daniels, Executive Director of the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation, today announced that the team is donating $50,000 to The HEARTest Yard, as part of the Hurricanes’ special playoff grant initiative. The Carolina Hurricanes Foundation will provide a donation to a deserving nonprofit during each round of the 2026 NHL playoffs that the Hurricanes reach.
“The Carolina Hurricanes Foundation is proud to join forces with Former NFL Star Greg Olsen and his wife, Kara, and the HEARTest Yard team to benefit more kids born with heart defects,” said Daniels. “This grant will allow The HEARTest Yard to continue to serve the Charlotte region while also expanding to help families in the Triangle.”
This will be the second time the Carolina Hurricanes have teamed up with The HEARTest Yard. In 2024, the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation made a grant to assist in placing a book vending machine at Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte. As young heart warriors reach milestones in their care like getting a transplant or completing treatments, they receive a special coin to choose a book from the HEARTest Yard book vending machine, giving them a source of education and entertainment during their hospital stay.
“We’re so grateful to the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation for supporting the heart families we serve across the Carolinas! This generous gift will help us reach even more heart patients and their families — providing care, connection, and support when they need it most.” said Executive Director of the HEARTest Yard, Molly Ansbro.
About The HEARTest Yard
Established in 2013 by former Carolina Panther Greg Olsen and his wife Kara, The HEARTest Yard is the first and only family support and service program for pediatric cardiovascular patients and their families in the Carolinas. The HEARTest Yard, a program under Receptions for Research: The Greg Olsen Foundation, supports families of children with congenital heart disease with in-home nursing care and comprehensive medical services at MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital in Charleston, SC and Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, NC. The Foundation seeks to provide a happier, healthier future for heart kids. For more info, click here.
About the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation
As the charitable arm of the Carolina Hurricanes, the Foundation takes pride in being a part of the community both on and off the ice. The Foundation strives to be an agent of change by meeting the
health and educational needs of underserved populations in the community where we work, live, and play. Since the Foundation’s inception in 1997, more than $17 million has been donated in grants and in-kind support to youth-serving organizations. For more information on the Foundation, please click here.
View: https://www.nhl.com/hurricanes/news/canes-announce-50-000-grant-to-the-heartest-yard
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WJZY) — The 10th Annual HEARTest Yard + Showmars 5K returns to Charlotte on Saturday, May 16.
Panther’s icon, Greg Olsen, created the HEARTest Yard to support Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital and children living with congenital heart disease (CHD). Greg and Heart family, Miki, Chris and Claire Haas, shared what makes this organization so important within the Charlotte community.
The 10th annual 5K will take place at CMC Myers Park on Saturday, May 16, starting at 8 a.m.
Learn more at Showmars’ website or on the HEARTest Yard’s website. Watch the video above for further details.
View: https://www.qcnews.com/positively-charlotte/greg-olsen-talks-the-heartest-yard-upcoming-5k/
This week, Jana took the show on the road to spotlight two Carolina staples: The Greg Olsen Foundation and Bojangles, and their shared commitment to heart health through The HEARTest Yard. Yes, Greg Olsen can play football and call a game, but he can also step into a Bojangles kitchen and make biscuits for a cause! WBTV and The HEARTest Yard have teamed up with Bojangles to raise funds that support pediatric heart care services and critical research right here in our communities. Jana sits down with Jose Armario, Executive Director of the Bojangles Foundation and CEO of Bojangles, to discuss what it really takes to turn collaboration into action.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZD7Bpq06lA&list=PLqxjaAJJanbtsKEpnxsUev5xoXv_Fs3nX
Nick Carboni shares what makes the “unGala” an impactful tool in supporting families facing childhood congenital heart disease.
Author: wcnc.com
Published: 6:01 PM EST February 23, 2026
Updated: 6:01 PM EST February 23, 2026
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (CAROLINA SPORTS LIVE) — Nineteen years after going through the NFL combine, Greg Olsen is now hosting one of the biggest annual events on Charlotte’s social calendar.
Tonight marked the fifth annual un-Gala benefiting Olsen’s foundation, The HEARTest Yard. The event has been held at Steak 48 each year and has raised more than $1 million to support families of children with congenital heart disease.
Bryson Shupe, from Conover, was just as surprised on his trip to Green Bay when he reunited with his hero!
GREEN BAY, Wis. — Carolina Panthers legend Greg Olsen made the trip Sunday to call the game against Green Bay as a commentator. But before kickoff happened, a special surprise was in store for him.
Levine Children’s Hospital shared a touching video on Instagram, showing Olsen reunite with a boy named Bryson Shupe. The two embraced in the press box at Lambeau Field, reuniting eight years after the two first met.
The hospital said Shupe, who’s from Conover, was waiting for a heart transplant at the same time that Olsen’s own son, TJ, was. The two met during a visit, with Sir Purr in tow, sparking in Shupe a love for the Panthers.
Now a healthy 14-year-old, Shupe was sent on the trip set up by Levine Children’s and the Panthers, leading to the touching reunion between him and Olsen. Shupe even commented when they embraced that even he didn’t know this was happening.
TJ Olsen was born with a congenital heart condition that necessitated the transplant. In 2013, Greg Olsen and his wife, Kara, launched The HEARTest Yard, a foundation that offers support for pediatric cardiovascular patients.
Click to View Story – https://www.wcnc.com/article/life/heartwarming/greg-oslen-bryson-surprise-11-2-2025/275-86fa860c-15fa-4b23-881d-b18674998da9
By Luke Tucker
Published: Nov. 3, 2025 at 1:56 PM EST|
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBTV) – A boy reunited with a Carolina Panthers legend on Sunday, years after they began a medical journey together.
Fourteen-year-old Bryson Shupe was once a heart transplant patient at Atrium Health Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte. At the same time, one of Greg Olsen’s sons was waiting on his own heart transplant.
In a social media post, Levine Children’s said that Bryson and Olsen connected during that shared journey, creating within the boy a “deep love” for the Panthers.
Eight years later — and as a healthy teenager — Bryson was surprised with a trip to Lambeau Field in Green Bay to watch his Panthers win a huge game against the Packers on Nov. 2.
Bryson not only got to go to the game, but was on the field for pregame warmups and got to meet some of his favorite players. He also got to reconnect with Olsen in the broadcast booth as he prepared to call the game for Fox Sports.
“Hey buddy!” Olsen said as he wrapped Bryson up in a hug. “What’s up man? How are you? How’s this for a day?”
Levine Children’s shared pictures of Bryson donning his custom No. 1 jersey up in the broadcast booth with Olsen, all around historic Lambeau Field, down on the field, and one shot with Panthers quarterback Bryce Young.
“The perfect game day for the sweetest kid❤️,” Levine Children’s wrote in a social media caption. “We’re so proud to see Bryson having the time of his life ❤️.”As for Bryson’s advice to other kids who may be going through a hard time of their own, he said to “Keep pounding … Keep your head up. Don’t be sad at all.”
Eastwood Homes hosts charity event for The HEARTest Yard
BY BRANDY TEMPLETON
Participants in the Eastwood Homes fundraiser for former Carolina Panthers great Greg Olsen’s foundation had fun racing on over-sized tricycles, eating BBQ and connecting with builders of the Peyton Creek community. Teams competed for bragging rights and a trophy. The event also featured a raffle with autographed NFL memorabilia.
The big winner was The HEARTest Yard, a program of the foundation that has raised more than $8 million for family support and service program for pediatric cardiovascular patients and their families in the Carolinas. The event raised $6,500 for the nonprofit.
The housing development is the first of its kind for the company, which traditionally offers build-on-your-lot options with homes starting in the mid $600’s.
CEO Clark Stewart runs the family-owned company, which is based in Charlotte. His father Joseph started the business in 1977.
“What better way to kick this community off than by giving back to charity,” he said.
“It’s a great cause that helps deal with all the emotional, physical, and financial pressures these families face while their child is being treated,” added spokeswoman Shaiel Cherches.
Sponsors included CPI Security, Century 21, EBJ Law Southpark, and Rad Chad’s Italian Ice, which donated a portion of its sales to The HEARTest Yard.
