ChickfilA halts donations to antigay marriage groups

ChickfilA is ending donations to three groups that oppose gay marriage in an effort to halt protests and broaden its customer base.

But the move has angered some of the fast food chain’s fans.

The Atlantabased company said Monday that starting next year, it will focus its giving on three areas: hunger, homelessness and education.

“This decision was made to create more clarity — and to better address three critical needs facing children across the communities ChickfilA serves,” the company said in a statement.

ChickfilA President Tim Tassopoulos said the company — which is closed on Sundays — will still consider donations to faithbased groups. The company wouldn’t say whether it will consider an organization’s position on gay rights before donating.

But in the meantime, it doesn’t plan to continue its support of three groups that oppose gay marriage and have been the target of protestor’s ire.

In 2017 and 2018, the ChickfilA Foundation gave $2.4 million to the Missouribased Fellowship of Christian Athletes for sports camps for underserved youth and $165,000 to the Salvation Army to buy Christmas gifts for needy children. The foundation also gave $6,000 to the Paul Anderson Youth Homes.

ChickfilA’s decision to no longer support the groups angered some conservatives, who say they stood by the restaurant in 2012 when CEO Dan Cathy said in several interviews that he didn’t support gay marriage.

Mike Stewart / Associated Press file photo ChickfilA is ending donations to three groups that oppose gay marriage in an effort to halt protests and broaden its customer base.