The opinions, viewpoints, and beliefs expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the opinions, viewpoints, or beliefs of the Titan Times newspaper, Tuscarora High School or Frederick County Public Schools.

The Salvation Army and Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) are two organizations in which Chick-fil-A used to support. FCA and The Salvation Army both share the mission of spreading Christianity in different ways. FCA is focusing on sports and coaching, while The Salvation Army helps people of all genders, races, and ages by donating money and supplies for those in need. But one problem that most people find with most Christian organizations is that they are labeled as anti-LGBT.

Dan Cathy, the owner of Chick-fil-A expressed his value of the traditional family by saying, ‘“We are very much supportive of the family – the biblical definition of the family unit. We are a family-owned business, a family-led business, and we are married to our first wives. We give God thanks for that.”(Starnes). He has expressed that gay marriage is not traditional or biblical, and, of course, this has outraged a lot of people who are a part of or support the LGBT community. And this sparked a few protests of the LGBT and its allies.

Chick-fil-A recently announced that they will stop supporting the foundations claimed to be anti-LGBT and to focus their profits elsewhere. They will donate more to the Junior Achievement USA program for kids in school to learn more about financial literacy. They’re supporting Covenant House International to help the homeless, and they will begin to $25,000 to local food banks. Though Chick-fil-A has stopped supporting The Salvation Army and FCA, they are still reaching out to the community.

What I don’t understand is that The Salvation Army helps the homeless, the needy, and people of all backgrounds by donating money, food, and supplies. And it is all under one organization. It is good that Chick-fil-A is still supporting organizations that help the needy, but The Salvation Army is a mix of all of that. Whether or not The Salvation Army does support the LGBT community, it still reaches out to those in need without discrimination. The Salvation Army even has a section of funds dedicated to helping those who are struggling in the LGBT community.

Chick-fil-A is a great restaurant that support those in need, but caved in when an opposing opinion was expressed. The LGBT community has the right to protest, but Chick-fil-A also has the right to have their own opinion, even if it doesn’t agree with the general public. The owner of the store holds beliefs people find offensive, but the Chick-fil-A restaurant chain has never actually hurt the LGBT community. The organizations Chick-fil-A used to help never went out of their way to hurt the LGBT community, they just don’t agree with their beliefs.

Works Cited

“Chick-fil-A Foundation Announces 2020 Priorities to Address Education, Homelessness, Hunger.” The Chicken Wire, Chick-fil-A, 18 Nov. 2019, thechickenwire.chick-fil-a.com/News/Chick-fil-A-Foundation-Announces-2020-Priorities?gclid=CjwKCAiAlO7uBRANEiwA_vXQ-7KNKINc-XSNI6c1ZP3p35EaBjoeZeqjn_OOd09o76nLl3RXYBYsvxoCvtoQAvD_BwE. Accessed 25 Nov. 2019.

“The LGBTQ Community and The Salvation Army.” The Salvation Army, www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/the-lgbtq-community-and-the-salvation-army/. Accessed 25 Nov. 2019.

Starnes, Todd. “Rahm: ‘Chick-fil-A Values Are Not Chicago Values.'” Internet Archive Wayback Machine, web.archive.org/web/20120726203208/http://radio.foxnews.com/toddstarnes/top-stories/cities-move-to-ban-chick-fil-a-supporters-launch-day-of-support.html. Accessed 25 Nov. 2019.

“What Is FCA? .” Fellowship of Christian Athletes, 2019, www.fca.org/what-is-fca. Accessed 25 Nov. 2019.