Pressure from gay groups has forced conservative restaurant group Chick-fil-A to end financial support for organizations opposing same-sex marriage.
The fast food chain and its owners, the billionaire Cathy family, were at the center of a fierce battle this summer over their stated support for moves to keep marriage between a man and a woman.
But now, after weeks of talks with Chicago Alderman Joe Moreno, the company says it will change its policy about the groups that receive donations from the Cathy family’s WinShape Foundation.
“The WinShape Foundations is now taking a much closer look at the organizations it considers helping, and in that process will remain true to its stated philosophy of not supporting organizations with political agendas,” the company said in a letter to Moreno.
ABC News reports that from 2008-2010, the foundation gave $3.2 million to groups that advocate against same-sex marriage.
The spotlight was shined on the group after CEO Dan Cathy said in an interview that he supports “the biblical definition of the family unit.” Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and his counterparts in San Francisco and Boston all spoke out against the chain, hinting they would make it difficult for the company to expand in their cities.
In retaliation, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee declared Aug. 1 to be Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day and tens of thousands flocked to the chain’s outlets on that day. A kiss-in organized by pro-gay marriage advocates a few days later attracted far less support.
Moreno said Chick-fil-A has also decided to include sexual orientation in its anti-discrimination policy and said he will now support company plans for a new restaurant in the Windy City.
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