Chick-fil-A, Inc. has announced the nonprofit grant recipients of the 2023 Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Awards® program with a total of 46 award winners – an increase of 12 from 2022. Collectively, these organizations will receive a total of $5 million in grants to further their community efforts. To be selected for a grant, an organization must work to address key issues that align with Chick-fil-A’s corporate social responsibility priorities: Caring for People, Caring for Others through Food, Caring for our Communities and Caring for our Planet.
“Through our True Inspiration Awards grant program, Chick-fil-A helps empower local nonprofits that are leading positive change and creating tangible impact throughout the communities they serve,” said Brent Fielder, senior director of corporate social responsibility for Chick-fil-A, Inc. “This year, we added a new grant category – Caring for our Planet – to help support additional nonprofits that act as good stewards of the planet we share. It is our pleasure to invest in the growth and legacy of all our 2023 recipient organizations throughout the U.S.”
Winners from the inaugural Caring for our Planet category include Three Rivers Land Trust in Salisbury, N.C., which seeks to sustain state farmlands, and Creighton Community Foundation, a Phoenix, Ariz.-based nonprofit which aims to advance food equity in low-income areas through community gardens, among others.
From Elevate USA’s youth mentorship programs in Arvada, Colo., to Rescuing Leftover Cuisine’s food rescue efforts in New York City, this year’s recipients work hard to address timely needs in communities across 23 states and 39 cities in the United States.
Each year, Chick-fil-A awards the S. Truett Cathy Honoree grant to an organization that embodies the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit of Chick-fil-A’s late founder. This year’s recipient, SEMO Alliance for Disability Independence (SADI), will receive a $350,000 grant to support its commitment to providing independent living services to people with disabilities in the Cape Girardeau, Mo. area.
“I’ve seen firsthand the tremendous impact that SEMO Alliance for Disability Independence has had in our community,” said Brian House, local restaurant Operator of Chick-fil-A® Cape Girardeau, who nominated the nonprofit for a True Inspiration Awards grant. “This grant will help SADI expand its behavior clinic and day rehabilitation programs, so the individuals they serve will be able to thrive in all aspects of their lives.”
The True Inspiration Awards program was established in 2015 to carry on Chick-fil-A Founder S. Truett Cathy’s legacy of generosity and community service. Since that time, 250 grants have been distributed to organizations located across 36 states, Washington, D.C., and Canada, impacting more than 3.5 million people. Individual grants range from $30,000 to $350,000.
The full list of 2023 True Inspiration Awards grant recipients is below. To learn more about the Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Awards program, visit chickfila.com/true-inspiration-awards.