Fighting Hunger with care in Boston

Chick-fil-A's mission goes far beyond the drive-thru, and has real impact in every community the restaurant calls home.

• Locally owned and operated restaurants invest in people by mentoring team members, supporting schools and nonprofits and building connections that last.
• They also encourage team members to pursue growth by developing leadership skills and applying for Chick-fil-A scholarships.

But food is one of the most powerful ways to show care — a belief that sparked Chick-fil-A Shared Table, a program that turns surplus food into new meals for people facing food insecurity.

How it's done: The program connects Chick-fil-A locations with nearby nonprofits, typically within a 5- to 10-mile radius, that help extend the impact of the restaurants' unused surplus ingredients.

• Chick-fil-A Shared Table meets a dual need: to reduce food waste and to support hunger relief efforts in local communities.

Why it's important: 1 in 3 adults experience food insecurity in Boston. These needs are real, urgent and local.

The story: In Greater Boston, 19 restaurants participate in Chick-fil-A Shared Table — an impact that has created nearly a quarter million meals for those in need.

• That's more than 250,000 pounds of food diverted from landfills with the partnership of 19 local nonprofit organizations.

What they're saying: "I love the term Shared Table because it really does mean that it's about more than just a meal," Chick-fil-A nonprofit partner Boston Rescue Mission's director of finance and operations Allison Kinyua said. "It's about time spent with somebody. We've made friendships — it's a lot more than just food."

Some examples:

• In Boston, surplus chicken nuggets and biscuits become hearty dishes like chicken parmesan or Puerto Rican dirty rice with chicken.

• In the Bay Area, nonprofits use filets for comfort foods like chicken pot pie — turning extra ingredients into nourishing meals families recognize and enjoy.

The impact: Across the country, restaurants have donated tens of millions of pounds of surplus food, helping create millions of meals for families in need.

Plus, plus, plus: The company invests in hunger relief and community impact in other ways, including:

• $25,000 donated to a local Feeding America food bank with the opening of each new restaurant.
• True Inspiration Awards, supporting nonprofits nationwide.
• A Chick-fil-A Leader Academy, equipping students to lead service projects in their own communities.

The takeaway: Chick-fil-A Shared Table shows how everyday giving can power extraordinary impact, in Boston and beyond. By nourishing neighbors, reducing waste and strengthening nonprofits, Chick-fil-A extends its care well beyond the walls of its restaurants.

Learn more about Chick-fil-A Shared Table.