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Serving Hope: Local Owner-Operators in Chicago Step Up to Fight Food Insecurity
May 20, 2025
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Chicagoland Restaurants Reach 100% Participation in the Chick-fil-A Shared Table Program
Chicago is known for its rich history, diverse neighborhoods and stunning architecture, but it's also a city where food insecurity remains a critical issue. Across its 78 neighborhoods, access to nutritious food is not always guaranteed—particularly in areas known as food deserts, where fresh produce and quality meals can be miles away. In 2024, Northwestern University estimated that 21% of Chicago households with children experience food insecurity.
Local Chick-fil-A Owner-Operators in Chicago are stepping up to help address this challenge through the Chick-fil-A Shared Table® program. By repurposing surplus food from their Restaurants and donating it to local nonprofits, shelters and food banks, they are helping provide quality meals to individuals and families facing food insecurity.
A United Effort
All 55 Chick-fil-A restaurants in the Chicago area participate in the Chick-fil-A Shared Table program, working together to make a meaningful impact in their communities. Kareem Edwards, local
Owner-Operator of Chick-fil-A South Loop, sees this initiative as an extension of the values he learned growing up.
“Thinking back to my childhood, my mom was a nurse, and we had humble beginnings. No matter how much or how little we had, she always opened our home to feed others,” Kareem shared. “Food is such a simple but powerful way to welcome, encourage and care for people. Just like we treat our Restaurant as our home and welcome our Guests with nourishment, we see this program as a way to serve beyond our four walls.”
Through the program, Kareem's Restaurant redirects surplus food to Launch Out into the Deep, a nonprofit serving Chicago's Little Village neighborhood. These donations help provide quality, protein-rich meals to people facing food insecurity in this predominantly Latino community with few accessible grocery stores.
"Our team has seen images of the final meals created from our donations, and they feel a real sense of pride knowing they’re helping their own community,” Kareem said.
Feeding Chicago, One Meal at a Time
Together, Chicago-area Chick-fil-A restaurants have helped their nonprofit partners create more than 584,200 meals—a number that continues to grow. Those meals help local nonprofits like Good News Partners, which serves people experiencing homelessness, deliver on their missions. Explore some of the delicious, nourishing meals that Chick-fil-A Shared Table partners create, such as Nugget Fried Rice, in the Chick-fil-A Shared Table Extra Helpings Cookbook.
For Kareem and his fellow local Owner-Operators, this milestone is just the beginning.
“Chicago has always been a city that cares for its own,” he said. “Now that we’ve reached 100% participation in the Chick-fil-A Shared Table program, we have the opportunity to amplify our impact even more. We hope to build on this momentum and explore deeper community partnerships to serve even more people.”
Across the country, Chick-fil-A restaurants have helped their nonprofit partners serve more than 35 million meals through the Chick-fil-A Shared Table program. And with 100% participation in Chicago, local Owner-Operators are proud to be part of a movement that transforms surplus food into nourishment, dignity and hope for their neighbors.
Read more about Chick-fil-A Shared Table.
Chicagoland Restaurants Reach 100% Participation in the Chick-fil-A Shared Table Program
Chicago is known for its rich history, diverse neighborhoods and stunning architecture, but it's also a city where food insecurity remains a critical issue. Across its 78 neighborhoods, access to nutritious food is not always guaranteed—particularly in areas known as food deserts, where fresh produce and quality meals can be miles away. In 2024, Northwestern University estimated that 21% of Chicago households with children experience food insecurity.
Local Chick-fil-A Owner-Operators in Chicago are stepping up to help address this challenge through the Chick-fil-A Shared Table® program. By repurposing surplus food from their Restaurants and donating it to local nonprofits, shelters and food banks, they are helping provide quality meals to individuals and families facing food insecurity.
A United Effort
All 55 Chick-fil-A restaurants in the Chicago area participate in the Chick-fil-A Shared Table program, working together to make a meaningful impact in their communities. Kareem Edwards, local
Owner-Operator of Chick-fil-A South Loop, sees this initiative as an extension of the values he learned growing up.
“Thinking back to my childhood, my mom was a nurse, and we had humble beginnings. No matter how much or how little we had, she always opened our home to feed others,” Kareem shared. “Food is such a simple but powerful way to welcome, encourage and care for people. Just like we treat our Restaurant as our home and welcome our Guests with nourishment, we see this program as a way to serve beyond our four walls.”
Through the program, Kareem's Restaurant redirects surplus food to Launch Out into the Deep, a nonprofit serving Chicago's Little Village neighborhood. These donations help provide quality, protein-rich meals to people facing food insecurity in this predominantly Latino community with few accessible grocery stores.
"Our team has seen images of the final meals created from our donations, and they feel a real sense of pride knowing they’re helping their own community,” Kareem said.
Feeding Chicago, One Meal at a Time
Together, Chicago-area Chick-fil-A restaurants have helped their nonprofit partners create more than 584,200 meals—a number that continues to grow. Those meals help local nonprofits like Good News Partners, which serves people experiencing homelessness, deliver on their missions. Explore some of the delicious, nourishing meals that Chick-fil-A Shared Table partners create, such as Nugget Fried Rice, in the Chick-fil-A Shared Table Extra Helpings Cookbook.
For Kareem and his fellow local Owner-Operators, this milestone is just the beginning.
“Chicago has always been a city that cares for its own,” he said. “Now that we’ve reached 100% participation in the Chick-fil-A Shared Table program, we have the opportunity to amplify our impact even more. We hope to build on this momentum and explore deeper community partnerships to serve even more people.”
Across the country, Chick-fil-A restaurants have helped their nonprofit partners serve more than 35 million meals through the Chick-fil-A Shared Table program. And with 100% participation in Chicago, local Owner-Operators are proud to be part of a movement that transforms surplus food into nourishment, dignity and hope for their neighbors.
Read more about Chick-fil-A Shared Table.
