Chick-fil-A said it is altering its approach to charitable donations following criticism by LGBTQ supporters of contributions made to Christian groups.
In a statement released Monday, the restaurant chain said its foundation will “deepen its giving to a smaller number of organizations” by focusing on education, homelessness and hunger.
Chick-fil-A said it’s committing more than $9 million to initiatives linked to those three areas next year.
”Additionally, the Foundation will no longer make multiyear commitments and will reassess its philanthropic partnerships annually to allow maximum impact,” said Chick-fil-A in a statement. “These partners could include faith-based and non-faith-based charities.”
Since the beginning of the Chick-fil-A Foundation, more than $52 million has been donated to support education, entrepreneurship and leadership development.
Earlier this year, ThinkProgress reported on the chain’s charitable donations to groups with anti-LGBTQ views. In a separate statement released in March, Chick-fil-A confirmed it donated $1.6 million to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes to support summer sports camps, and another $150,000 to the Salvation Army toward children’s programs in Atlanta.
In March, San Antonio’s city council voted to ban Chick-fil-A from its international airport, citing its record on LGBTQ issues. A month later, the chain was banned from opening a location at Buffalo’s airport.
Read more at usatoday.com.
