Chick-Fil-A Fast Food Chain Donated Nearly $2 Million To Anti-Gay Groups In 2009

Want a side order of anti-gay rhetoric with your chicken sandwich?

Chik-Fil-A might be able to help you with that.

According to EqualityMatters.org, the fast food company donated nearly $2 million in 2009 to groups that have anti-gay agendas.

IRS 990 forms show that WinShape, the restaurant chain's charitable foundation which was founded by Chick-Fil-A's chairman S. Truett Cathy in 1994, gave to the following groups in 2009:

• Marriage & Family Legacy Fund: $994,199
• Fellowship Of Christian Athletes: $480,000
• National Christian Foundation: $240,000
• Focus On The Family: $12,500
• Eagle Forum: $5,000
• Exodus International: $1,000
• Family Research Council: $1,000

An earlier investigation by Equality Matters found that Chick-Fil-A, which was recently voted the third most beloved restaurant chain in the United States, donated more than $1 million to anti-gay groups between 2003 and 2008. The IRS forms from 2009 are the most recent available as public records.

In January Chick-Fil-A president Dan Cathy defended the chain saying, "We're not anti-anybody... Our mission is to create raving fans."

Cathy was also forced to respond to gay activists' claims after the company provided lunch at a marriage-training event sponsored by Pennsylvania Family Institute.

Cathy asserted, "While my family and I believe in the Biblical definition of marriage, we love and respect anyone who disagrees."

In recent months students attending at least six universities, including University of North Texas, Mississippi State University, and the University of New Orleans, have launched petitions asking their schools not to support anti-LGBT businesses like Chick-Fil-A.

LGBT activists have also staged protests at a number of the chain's locations throughout the country, including Chicago and Hollywood.

Comments

[mikemikemike295]

06:49 PM on 12/26/2011

For clarity I want to let everyone know homosexuality is a perversion/ sexual deviancy that is a dangerous health risk. As well as it causes spiritual bankruptcy. Throughout history every nation has been destroyed because of it. Therefore, God condemns it. I believe that it is a learned behavior due to dysfunctional family backrounds. Dysfunctional families that do not know how to love, coupled with the personality of the individual one can end up an alcoholic, drug user, gambler or homosexual. As I am sure that some of you are boiling mad right now at what I say, but I speak from personal EXPERIENCE with a keen understanding of both the bible and history. So, as a person with a troubled backround I applaud Chick-fil-a for donating towards pro-Christian, pro-family organizations. And I encourage paople all the time to eat there, as I and my family do as often as possible.P.S. Any learned behavior can be unlearned, especially one so destructive.

[Ian Chambers]

06:43 AM on 12/30/2011

Hitler had empty theories with no actual information to back it up, just like yours.

[mikemikemike295]

04:58 PM on 12/30/2011

Thanks for your response Ian. I would disagree that my comments are entirely faith based. Human behavior can be understood apart from faith. Something you might not realize is that your comments are faith based as well( humanistically speaking) and you operate on a bunch of subjective principles of which you do not question because your mind is closed. It is interesting that you should bring up Hitler. He had most of the nation following him and there were very, very few that thought he was a dangerous man. But the majority of the people were close-minded and would not listen to the voice of reason by a very small minority. As a result there was terrible suffering and bloodshed for many people from many nations. All because they were duped into believing a lie.

[mikemikemike295]

10:35 AM on 12/26/2011

Being gay and being a christian are both choices and you can't be both at the same time. Homosexuality is a choice and a sexual deviancy. I know some heads are exploding out there but truth does hurt, but the good news is that it will set you free.

[Ian Chambers]

06:45 AM on 12/30/2011

everything you've said is faith based, completely lacking any sense of the term truth.

[Josh Guallett]

02:02 PM on 12/21/2011

I think people may be going a little too far with this. I agree that Chick fil a should do a little better choosing where to place their money, but I do believe that they really don't hold a discriminate anti-gay agenda. This should have been known to them but Chic Fil a possibly didn't know. I don't know all the ins and outs of each of the organizations that received the funds, but unless they solely function as anti-gay entities then they should receive donations just like anyone else. Maybe Chic fil a should just make sure that their money is only used for specific programs. Also, are these the only organizations that they sponsor? I'm sure they do more good than bad and I feel that is the only way to rate anyone or anything. They're not free from blame but give them some credit for the good they do and give them notice of the things they don't. The important question is the public knowing that the advertently or inadvertently support anti-gay governed groups, will Chic Fil A do anything to change?

[Neonnicko]

02:00 AM on 12/15/2011

I'm sick of gays discriminating against what I believe in. What did I ever do to them? NOTHING.

[Nicole Antonia Carson]

07:53 AM on 12/30/2011

Neonnicko, when your beliefs cause you to feel entitled to encroach on the rights of others than you've done something to them. All they want is equality.

[vicki4now]

06:44 PM on 12/14/2011

So if I throw money in the Salvation Army bell ringer's bucket does that make me anti-gay? I think not. While I am a Christian and believe that marriage should be between a woman and a man, I wholeheartedly respect and will defend your right to believe and marry otherwise and live as you see fit. If that means I'm anti-gay then so be it but I don't consider myself to be anti anything except anti-discriminatory. I believe in the right of EVERY human being, gay or not, to live happily and marry whomever they choose. In the same token, I believe in Chic-fil-a's right to donate to whomever the choose without being labeled as this or that.

[Neonnicko]

02:00 AM on 12/15/2011

Exactly.

[MIMandM]

08:24 PM on 12/31/2011

They have a right to donate to whomever they choose, just as I have a right to know whom they're donating to -- and to boycott them (and encourage others to do the same) because of those donations.

[JazzManAK]

05:41 PM on 12/14/2011

Which of those groups is "anti" gay? Just because people believe a family structure should be balanced with a man and woman doesn't mean they hate gay people. It is a differing opinion. There is nothing hateful about Chick-Fil-A donating to groups that support marriage between a man and woman. Further more I have no clue how Fellowship Of Christian Athletes and National Christian Foundation are "anti" gay groups? So they don't support homosexuality because of religion? So what? They aren't telling people to go out and hurt homo's. These are both excellent groups that do more for the community than any pro homosexual group that only fosters to one small sliver of our society.

[TS]

03:50 AM on 12/15/2011

I think the problem comes when these groups begin to fund anti-gay initiatives and spend their charitable dollars targeting legislation that seeks to provide equal rights to gay and lesbian couples. It's one thing to hold a particular belief and another altogether to work towards maintaining discriminatory laws under the guise of 'charity.' As odious as I may find it, it's not illegal to be a gigot or a homophobe. If that's your personal belief, you have a constitutional right to hold it no matter how backwards or stupid it is. On the other hand, when we're talking about charities pumping money into campaigns against same sex marriage and other attempts to prevent discrimination, that's a problem and any of these groups who choose to actively discriminate against or deny charitable services due to sexual orientation should have their classification as charities removed.

[skream]

05:28 PM on 12/14/2011

I donated money to the troops....... does that make me a war monger?

[Ranon Delture]

04:13 PM on 12/16/2011

Yes, because you support them monetarily, allowing them to continue their campaigns in foreign lands.

[Tyson Walz]

04:00 PM on 12/14/2011

so racism is unthinkable but being a homophobe is ok?
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/14/9444087-chick-fil-a-cashier-fired-for-racist-receipts-mocking-asians

[juabdib]

08:13 AM on 12/14/2011

Christianity, unlike being gay, is a choice, and that choice is also a choice whether or not to be a hateful and spiteful christian. I know many christians who choose to love gay folk, support their endeavors to have a family, and think that marriage equality is ideal. Do you choose to support political organizations that lie and distort the real nature of gay people or do you practice your faith more along the lines of the actual teachings of your Jesus? Did you know in terms of your bible eating shrimp or wearing blended fabric is on the same level as homosexuality? Think a little, it becomes obvious when you don't.

[Leif Nielsen]

01:14 PM on 12/14/2011

Donating, like Christianity, is a choice, and they can choose to donate to whoever they want to. Christians can believe that homosexuality is wrong without hating the people that are guilty of it. They're not all from Westboro Baptist Church. Everyone has different temptations. The answer lies within taming those temptations and fighting against them. Many serial killers are born with a "killer" gene. They want to kill and they don't know why. Does it make them right to go out and kill people because they feel like he have to? You have to use logic to defeat instinct. Instinct might tell you to mate with the same sex but logic will tell you that procreation would be impossible.

[juabdib]

02:00 PM on 12/14/2011

Most people, even christians, aren't mating every time they have sex. If they did, life would be pretty boring. Intellect is what tells us what sexual behaviors lead to procreation, not logic. Logic tells me that living life based on something unseen and never proven real is ridiculous and even fool hardy. Homosexuality exists and existed in nature long before the current brand of "god" did, long before their bible was written too. it is also not a temptation, it is a nature, an inherent charateristic, unlike a religious belief, which is clearly an elective in life, an add on. It's rather natural for some of our species to be same sex attracted, as same sex attraction is natural. There is no harm in this either, the harm is in the stigmatization, and the sheer joy so many christians take in demonizing it as well as donating to further demonization. Chik-fil-A has been actively donating to known hate groups, a choice they will be judged by society for.

[rameyjr]

10:10 PM on 12/13/2011

Thank God there are still American companies that have the Christian moral values that America was founded on, are not "politically correct" and do not kow-tow to the liberals that obviously have no moral vallues and are seeking to destroy the greatest country in the world. If you do not like it here, go to Europe. They obviously are doing very well.

[juabdib]

08:23 AM on 12/14/2011

America has freedom of religion and thus freedom from religion. We also have a basic human right to equality. Why would gay people want to destroy a country that has embraced marriage equality? Gay people love this country, and those who think equality will destroy this country are the ones who will destroy it by trying to divide it's people using religious dogma as their tool. Christian sharia law is no more suitable for a freedom loving people than Muslim sharia law. Enjoy your freedom, I'll enjoy mine, and gay people will enjoy theirs. Equality is not "politically correct", it's the American way. If you can't dig it, maybe you are the one who should leave, I hear there are several African nations that love your kind...

[Lucas Hall]

12:41 PM on 12/14/2011

The colonies were founded for capital gain. Please feel free to study the history of Virginia for ample proof. Virginia was then, many years later, the first colony to write a statue for religious freedom. Capitalism came to this country long before religious freedom. I'm not sure where people get the idea that North America was colonized by the English to spread Christianity. That is more of a Spanish claim (though the search for Gold truly motivated both the English and the Spanish).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Company

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joint_stock_company

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Statute_for_Religious_Freedom

[amanda can]

12:30 PM on 12/12/2011

Who they donated to doesn't make their chicken sandwiches & waffle fries any less delicious. If you want to have a say in what organization a company donates to, start your own. More artery-clogging goodies for me!

[Sari Meltzer]

02:59 PM on 12/09/2011

Everyone wants to assume LGBT advocates are attacking them simply because they are a Christian organization, nothing could be further from the truth. They are boycotting chick fil a because they donate money to organizations that discriminate and work to keep the rights of LGBT people. Look up the organizations and what they do before you just assume something.

[ogiebendogie]

12:26 PM on 12/09/2011

I think it is so odd that Christians say they support "Traditional Marriage". If you read the Bible, traditional marriage is polygamy. All of the great men of the Bible were polygamists. I also think it is hypocritical that Christians uphold certain verses to the Nth degree while completely ignoring others. What about divorce? The Bible is quite clear that divorce is wrong and remarriage is adultery. Why isn't that being enforced? I have attended remarriages in churches that are very against gays.

[Kristen Fulton]

10:10 AM on 12/09/2011

So it seems as if an organization promotes that they are Christian they are homophobic. They may have different opinions on the subject of marriage, but that doesn't mean they are attacking the rights of anyone, gay or not. I will admit there are some out there that use the Christian name as a shield so that when they do things that are morally wrong they can blame it on their religion. However, if you are truly a Christian and you love God with all your heart then you love everyone, Gay, Black, Straight, Mexican, Democrat, Republican, Muslim, White or whatever you happen to be or believe in. Being a Christian is about loving the Lord Jesus and showing it by showing love to all, no matter if you disagree with them or not. If Chic-fil-a is supporting groups with agendas that don't spread the true love of Jesus then I don't agree with them, but if they are just supporting marriage because that's their opinion and their right, then I do agree with them. Everyone wants equality, but it seems they want that equality at the price of others rights and equality. You can't force people to believe you or see it your way, but you can love them regardless.

[Sari Meltzer]

02:47 PM on 12/09/2011

did you rtfm?

[Sari Meltzer]

02:47 PM on 12/09/2011

whoops... i mean rtfa

[Neonnicko]

01:57 AM on 12/15/2011

No, she's right. Just because someone is donating to a Christian group does not mean they support anti-gay groups.

[mjforreal]

01:31 PM on 12/07/2011

Good job Chik Fil A! God bless you (In Jesus name!)