When people think of Chick-fil-A they think of their local fast food restaurants that have a very popular following. The company seeks to build on its loyal customer base through its True Inspiration Awards grant program that was established in honor of its Founder S. Truett Cathy—reflecting his legacy of community service. To date the program has supported 171 organizations in 33 states, Washington, D.C. and Canada, with grants totaling $12 million.
Now for the second consecutive year $5.5 million in grants are being given to Black-led non-profits to impact communities of color. The grants range from $50,000 to $350,000 and will be given to 34 organizations in the U.S. and Canada. In addition to those two countries, last year’s awards touched 18 states and 29 cities—that in total impacted more than 230,000 individuals.
Because Chick-fil-A’s 2,600 restaurants are spread across 47 states, Washington, D.C., and Canada, the company has an extensive reach into local communities. With their goal of furthering equity at the local level, Rodney Bullard, vice president of corporate social responsibility, expresses his enthusiasm for the Awards and the hopeful impact of the grants on underserved communities, stating, “There are incredible nonprofit organizations across the U.S. and Canada working to address key issues that disproportionately affect communities of color in the areas of education, homelessness and hunger.”
Indicative of Chick-fi-A’s emphasis on local engagement, the nominees for the grants will be voted upon in September by Chick-fil-A One® members located within their geographic region using the Chick-fil-A App. The Awards program resonated so well locally last year that nearly one million people voted through the app to select the 2021 True Inspiration Awards recipients.
The Awards program builds on the Atlanta-based family owned company’s reputation for customer service and positive engagement. It was chosen top fast-food restaurant in Newsweek’s 2019 America’s Best Customer Service report and recognized in Glassdoor’s top 100 best places to work in 2020.
Non-profits meeting eligibility requirements can now apply on Chick-fil-A website or be nominated by a local Chick-fil-A restaurant Operator until May 31, 2021.
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