How Chick-fil-A creates meaningful impact in NYC

Axios

12-05-2025

Chick-fil-A restaurants across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut are creating impactful change in their neighborhoods.
Here's why: Chick-fil-A's corporate social responsibility efforts reflect the company's commitment to being responsible stewards and positively influencing the communities they serve.
The company focuses on creating moments of care for people, for communities, through their food and for the planet.
How it's done: Local Chick-fil-A Owner-Operators in the Tri-State are leading the way with multiple initiatives, including…
🎓 Sending kids to college with scholarships
Each year, Chick-fil-A restaurant team members are offered the opportunity to apply for college scholarships through the Chick-fil-A Remarkable Futures™ scholarship program.
The local impact: Since 1975, 1,500+ scholarships have been awarded across NYC for a total of over $3 million in scholarships.
🍗 Donating surplus food to neighbors in need
The Chick-fil-A Shared Table® program empowers local Owner-Operators to donate surplus food at the end of each day to charitable organizations in their community.
Key numbers: Across all five boroughs, more than 196,000 meals have been created through Chick-fil-A Shared Table.
Local Owner-Operator Senay Mekonen of Chick-fil-A Marble Hill has donated 8,700 meals to Love Kitchen, a Bronx-area nonprofit.
Brandon Hurst, the local Owner-Operator of two Chick-fil-A restaurants in Brooklyn, has collectively helped create 55,000 meals for those in need in partnership with Prosperity in the Hood and Next Step Community Church.
Local Owner-Operator Jared Caldwell of Chick-fil-A 79th & 2nd and Chick-fil-A 1536 3rd Ave has collectively donated over 5,000 meals to two Manhattan nonprofits: Gotham Food Pantry and the Jamaican Women's Employment Shelter.
❤️ Making a positive impact on local youth
Tri-State area local owner-operators give back to youth, including sponsoring Chick-fil-A Leader Academy in local high schools, which offers seed funding in the form of microgrants to help support participating schools' community impact projects.
Some examples: Many local owner-operators are also involved in local boards and nonprofits.
Roosevelt Board, the local owner-operator at Chick-fil-A Staten Island Mall, was one of seven business owners honored by the borough. He's involved in the Chamber's Young Entrepreneurs Academy, an innovative after-school program that helps high school students launch their own business. Board acts as a mentor, guest speaker, sponsor and a field trip host.
Marc Thompson, the local owner-operator at Chick-fil-A Five Towns, hosts fundraisers for local schools, invites students to the restaurant for Meet the Operator days to learn about the restaurant business and donates meals to students participating in local events focused on STEAM, leadership development and entrepreneurship.
♻️ Recycling used cooking oil to help the environment
Chick-fil-A partners with DAR PRO Solutions for an innovative oil-reclamation program.
How it works: All locally owned and operated Chick-fil-A restaurants in NYC recycle used cooking oil from their restaurants to create renewable diesel.
To date, Chick-fil-A restaurants across the country have generated more than two million gallons of renewable diesel.
💸 Funding for nonprofits through grants
The True Inspiration Awards® program celebrates and supports nonprofit organizations making an impact in their local communities with annual grants.
The positive news: In 2024, Harlem Grown received a $200,000 True Inspiration Awards grant. The youth education program addresses the hunger facing 24% of low-income children and their families in New York City's Harlem community.
With the funding from Chick-fil-A, Harlem Grown plans to enhance its newly launched Independent Afterschool Program.