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Chick-fil-A Foundation Ends Commitments To Two Anti-LGBTQ Groups

The Salvation Army is pushing back after the Chick-fil-A Foundation announced it would cease funding it and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes after pressure from LGBTQ organizations.

The Chick-fil-A Foundation referred all calls regarding its funding priorities for 2020 to its website. The person answering the phone, identified only as “Dante,” read a few sentences of a prepared statement saying the Atlanta-based organization would be focusing on the needs of children in the areas of education, homelessness and hunger.

“We’re saddened to learn that a corporate partner has felt it necessary to divert funding to other hunger, education and homelessness organizations — areas in which The Salvation Army, as the largest social services provider in the world, is already fully committed,” according to a statement from The Salvation Army. “We serve more than 23 million individuals a year, including those in the LGBTQ+ community. In fact, we believe we are the largest provider of poverty relief to the LGBTQ+ population. When misinformation is perpetuated without fact, our ability to serve those in need, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, religion or any other factor, is at risk. We urge the public to seek the truth before rushing to ill-informed judgment and greatly appreciate those partners and donors who ensure that anyone who needs our help feels safe and comfortable to come through our doors.”

A message to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes was not returned.

GLAAD responded to the news: “Chick-fil-A investors, employees, and customers can greet today’s announcement with cautious optimism, but should remember that similar press statements were previously proven to be empty. In addition to refraining from financially supporting anti-LGBTQ organizations, Chick-fil-A still lacks policies to ensure safe workplaces for LGBTQ employees and should unequivocally speak out against the anti-LGBTQ reputation that their brand represents,” said Drew Anderson, director of campaigns and rapid response, at GLAAD.

Chick-fil-A Foundation’s federal Form 990 for 2018 shows income and distributions of $15.67 million with expenses and grants totaling $14.7 million. While there are consultants used by the organization, the lone salary listed is for an associate director at total compensation of $105,894.

Reuters is reporting that a spokesperson for Chick-fil-A said the organization made multi-year commitments to both organizations and fulfilled those obligations in 2018.

The organization did put out a statement regarding its Form 990, which shows funding for both The Salvation Army and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes but did not include information on a discontinuation of future funding. “Our 2018 Form 990 shares all the details of our charitable donations. Here is a breakdown of the 2018 highlights … . Going forward the Chick-fil-A Foundation will focus its giving toward key organizations that address education, homelessness and hunger.”