Chick-fil-A announced a new initiative Monday that will focus on education, homelessness, and hunger and end 2020 donations to two charities criticized by LGBTQ groups.
The chicken eatery chain announced that Chick-fil-A is instituting a “more focused giving approach to provide additional clarity and impact with the causes it supports” by donating to education programs and efforts against homelessness and hunger, according to a press release from Chick-fil-A. As part of the initiative, the organization committed $9 million in 2020 to Junior Achievement USA and Covenant House International.
Chick-fil-A also will “support more than 120 communities by dedicating $25,000 to a local food bank at each new Chick-fil-A opening,” the organization said in the press release.
Chick-fil-A has donated more than $52 million over the years to “support education, entrepreneurship, and leadership development,” the press release said.
But Chick-fil-A also will reassess its “philanthropic partnerships” and will not donate to the Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in 2020, it confirmed to The Daily Caller News Foundation.
Both organizations have drawn criticism from LGBTQ groups for their stances on homosexuality.
“Our goal is to donate [to] the most effective organizations in the areas of education, homelessness, and hunger,” Tim Tassopoulos, president and COO of Chick-fil-A Inc., told The Daily Caller News Foundation. “No organization will be excluded from future consideration—faith based or non-faith based.”
“We are incredibly excited to be the Chick-fil-A Foundation’s education partner and to make a positive difference in the lives of countless young people as a result of this initiative,” Jack E. Kosakowski, president and CEO of Junior Achievement USA, said in a prepared statement.
“Chick-fil-A has been a dedicated supporter of JA programs for many years, and we look forward to working together to reach even more kids through this latest commitment,” Kosakowski said.
Kevin Ryan, president and CEO of Covenant House International, praised the move. In a formal statement, Ryan said his organization welcomes Chick-fil-A’s support and the “efforts of local Chick-fil-A operators to hire and train young people as they overcome homelessness and cross that bridge from despair to hope.”
“Millions of children and youth face homelessness each year, including kids who have endured traumatic and adverse childhood experiences,” Ryan said. “The young people we serve are usually disconnected from their families and other social support, and we are committed to helping them all overcome hunger and homelessness.”
The Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes did not respond by publication time to requests for comment.
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