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Meet the 2025 Chick-fil-A True Inspiration Awards Recipients

Jan. 15, 2025

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Chick-fil-A awards more than $6 million to 56 nonprofits in cities across the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, and the United Kingdom

 

Since it began in 2015, the True Inspiration Awards® program has been a foundational part of Chick-fil-A, Inc.’s commitment to giving back. The program was originally created to honor the legacy of Chick-fil-A founder, S. Truett Cathy and has awarded 357 organizations to date, totaling more than $33.8 million in grants.  

Each year, hundreds of nonprofits across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico apply or are nominated to receive a grant by local Chick-fil-A Owner-Operators. In 2024, the opportunity also opened up to organizations in the United Kingdom. 

Each submission is evaluated through the lens of Chick-fil-A’s four corporate social responsibility pillars (Caring for People, Caring for Communities, Caring for Others Through Food and Caring for Our Planet) as well as the potential for the grant to amplify positive change. 

This year, the True Inspiration Awards grant program hit a new milestone, with $6 million in grants awarded to recipients. Grants range from $30,000 to $350,000 for the S. Truett Cathy (STC) Honoree, awarded to one organization that exemplifies the values and legacy of its namesake. Read more about this year’s STC Honoree, Old Skool Cafe, here and see below for an overview of this year’s 56 True Inspiration Awards recipients.  

Caring for People
Founded by a group of mothers in 1984, The Child and Family Network Centers (CFNC) was established to address the lack of multilingual preschool education options for underserved communities in Alexandria. Today, CFNC provides free, high-quality multilingual early education and comprehensive wraparound services to children and families with limited resources. 

As Alexandria’s only holistic, multilingual preschool for income-qualified families, CFNC goes beyond academics by offering Family Support services. Families work closely with CFNC's multilingual team to gain the tools and confidence needed to advocate for their children’s success and growth. 

Currently serving 139 three- and four-year-old children across eight preschool classrooms in Alexandria, CFNC is dedicated to fostering a safe, nurturing learning environment. With the support of a $125,000 grant from Chick-fil-A, CFNC aims to expand its programming and invest in additional professional development and coaching services for staff.

Additional Caring for People Grant Recipients:
Special Equestrians: $200,000
Aslan Youth Ministries: $75,000
Travis Manion Foundation: $60,000

Caring for Communities
In Georgia, approximately 20% of residents lack health insurance, with Gwinnett County—a prime example—showing an even higher rate of 26.5% uninsured residents. Good Samaritan Health Centers of Gwinnett (GSHCG) is dedicated to closing this gap by offering affordable and accessible health and dental care to underserved and uninsured individuals in north metropolitan Atlanta.

Since its founding in 2005, this debt-free nonprofit has recorded over 225,000 patient encounters, serving more than 30,000 individuals annually with services valued at nearly $10 million.

GSHCG will apply its $125,000 grant towards funding direct services, medical and dental supplies, labs, provider salaries and medications. With the help of the grant, the organization will be empowered to continue providing essential health and dental care to the north metropolitan Atlanta community, addressing critical needs for those most in need.

Additional Caring for Communities Grant Recipients:
Sheridan House Family Ministries, Inc.: $200,000
Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia: $75,000
Train Up a Child: $60,000

Caring for Others Through Food
Breaking the cycle of poverty begins with transforming everyday habits, and diet plays a pivotal role in that change. Yet for many, the cost of eating healthy is simply out of reach. Brighter Bites works to combat this challenge by building healthier communities through fresh food. The nonprofit delivers free, fresh fruits and vegetables to families in need on a weekly basis, reaching children and families in underserved areas.

In addition to providing fresh produce, Brighter Bites offers bilingual nutrition handbooks, tip sheets and recipes, helping families incorporate healthy ingredients into their meals. The program also teaches essential skills, such as kitchen safety, smarter snacking and healthier meal choices. In 2023, Brighter Bites delivered over 8 million pounds of fresh produce and provided more than 22,000 lessons on nutrition.

As a True Inspiration Awards recipient, Brighter Bites intends to use the $125,00 grant to expand its program beyond the 11 cities it currently serves to achieve its goal of having an established, nationwide presence.

Additional Caring for Others Through Food Grant Recipients:
Center of United Methodist Aid to the Community (CUMAC): $200,000
Safe Harbor of Chester County: $75,000
Merced County Food Bank: $60,000

Caring for Our Planet
OutTeach harnesses the power of outdoor learning to make science come alive for students, transforming education into a dynamic, hands-on experience. Founded by educators passionate about creating lasting change, this nonprofit is reimagining how children learn by turning the outdoors into an interactive classroom. 

Recognizing that science builds essential problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaboration skills, OutTeach addresses the gap in science education, which is often underprioritized in U.S. elementary schools. Through personalized training, collaborative partnerships and accessible resources, OutTeach equips educators to inspire curiosity and empower students to turn ideas into action, fostering a mindset of exploration and growth. 

The $200,000 grant will help the organization get closer to achieving its strategic goal of reaching 10,000 teachers and 250,000 students by 2025.  It will also contribute to the expansion of outdoor learning spaces and improving instructional practices to boost student engagement.  

Additional Caring for Our Planet Grant Recipients:  
Warriors & Quiet Waters Foundation: $125,000 
Ecology Project International: $75,000 
Friends of the Topeka Zoo, Inc.: $60,000 

Subsidiary Recipient
This year, Chick-fil-A added a new True Inspiration Awards category, Subsidiary Recipients, which honors organizations nominated by General Managers of Chick-fil-A Supply® distribution centers and Bay Center Foods. The goal is to further localize the program’s impact by supporting nonprofits in communities where these subsidiaries serve. 

Tennessee Alliance for Kids (TAK) is one of the first-ever recipients in the subsidiary category. Focused on meeting the urgent needs of foster children and families, this nonprofit connects social workers with resources and mobilizes community support through financial and item donations. 

With approximately 9,000 children in Tennessee's foster care system—and nearly 20% facing homelessness the day they age out—TAK’s mission is vital. The nonprofit plans to use the $200,000 grant to expand programming and serve more clients.  

Additional Subsidiary Grant Recipients:
TheBlackManCan, Inc.: $125,000 
Folds of Honor: $75,000 
Southern Alamance Family Empowerment, Inc.: $50,000 
Special Olympics of GA, Inc. - Bartow County: $30,000 

Global Recipient
Ahead of anticipated Chick-fil-A® restaurant openings in the United Kingdom this year, Chick-fil-A awarded its first True Inspiration Awards grant to a U.K. recipient. Founded in 1837, Hospitality Action has been a lifeline for hospitality workers across the U.K. for nearly two centuries.

Hospitality Action provides a wide range of financial support through its 24/7 helpline, which addresses the unique challenges faced by hospitality workers.

Since the start of the pandemic, the organization has awarded over £4.5 million in aid and distributed more than 12,500 grants, helping thousands of hospitality professionals regain stability and hope. The organization will use its $125,000 grant to expand its reach and serve more clients in the new year. 

Additional Global Grant Recipients:
The Happy Givers (formerly known as Happy Sonship): $200,000 
Toronto City Mission: $75,000 
Signal Hill Life Education Society: $50,000 
Windsor Family Home and Community Partnerships: $30,000 

Read more about this year’s expansion of the True Inspiration Awards program here.