American chicken chain Chick-fil-A is still directing donations to organizations with anti-LGBTI outlooks, new tax filings released today (20 March) show.

The fast-food chain has taken great strides to downplay its record for donating to homophobic groups in the past.

But 2017 tax filings show the chain’s charitable arm, the Chick-fil-A Foundation, donated $1.65 million to Fellowship of Christian Athletes, which imposes a ban on ‘homosexual acts’ on its employees.

Moreover, $150,000 also went to the Salvation Army, which has a heated history around LGBTI issues.

Finally, a small donation also went to the Paul Anderson Youth Home, which serves some fairly anti-gay views.

Significantly, these donations are a slight increase from the previous year.

The foundation’s funding comes almost entirely from the corporate treasury and shares leadership with the main Chick-fil-A company.

So, while it’s officially the Chick-fil-A Foundation doing the donating here, ant-LGBTI groups are nevertheless benefiting.

What were the three companies? 

Paul Anderson Youth Home is a ‘Christian residential home for troubled youth,’ its website says.

However, it teaches youth in its care that homosexuality is wrong and that same-sec marriage is ‘rage against Jesus Christ and His values.’

While Fellowship of Christian Athletes once said homosexuality was the result of ‘abuse, neglect, [and] molestation.’

Furthermore, Salvation Army has a long, long, long history of anti-LGBTI activity.

Though they have denied the anti-gay ‘myth,’ stories of anti-gay discrimination have dogged the charity for years.

One such ‘myth’ was the news of the organization’s belief that gay men are ‘deserving of death,’ which was listed in parts of the Salvation Army’s ‘Salvationist Handbook of Doctrine.’

What about Chick-fil-A itself?

However, Chick-fil-A hasn’t been without its fair share of controversies.

Chick-fil-A’s controversy kicked-off in 2012.

Equality Matters first reported the company donated nearly $2 million to anti-gay groups in 2010. Then the COO Dan Cathy said the company is against marriage equality and operates on ‘biblical principles’.

Critics soon came pouring in, including both celebrities, politicians, and The Muppets.

Same-sex couples began kissing in front of establishments as a form of protest.

Before Rider University, two schools in North Carolina also banned the fast-food restaurant: Elon University and Davidson College.

A spokesperson for the company told NBC: ‘We have no policy of discrimination against any group, and we do not have a political or social agenda. More than 120,000 people from all different backgrounds and beliefs represent the Chick-fil-A brand.’

Finally, in 2018, a private university in New Jersey removed Chick-fil-A as an option for a new campus restaurant due to the company’s perceived anti-LGBTI record.

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