Pittsburgh Kids Marathon Organizers Pressured To Cut Ties With Chick-Fil-A
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A city school board resolution has Pittsburgh Marathon officials perplexed.
"We were very surprised to see that they opposed Chick Fil-A as a sponsor for us," said Marathon CEO Patrice Matamoros on Thursday.
The resolution claims Chick-Fil-a supports anti-gay causes so the district won't participate in the Pittsburgh Kids Marathon and Kids of Steel program.
Chick Fil-A denies the charge, telling KDKA, "Our restaurants welcome everyone, and we have no policy of discrimination against any group. We do not have a political or social agenda."
Matamoros told KDKA political editor Jon Delano that the school's stand hurts city children whom the Marathon wants to train in healthy running and nutrition.
"We have 150 different schools involved in our program in 13 different counties," she said.
She wishes the school board had called her.
Delano: "Have any school board members reached out to you to talk about this?"
Matamoros: "No. Nobody's reached out to us."
Delano: "The school board passes a resolution about the marathon, and they've never talked to you?"
Matamoros: "No."
Delano: "Nobody's called you?"
Matamoros: "No."
Pittsburgh Marathon officials tell KDKA that the funding for the Kids Marathon comes from local franchisees in the Pittsburgh region, and they've all signed non-discriminatory agreements.
In addition to $105,000 in sponsorships for the Pittsburgh Kids Marathon, Chick-Fil-A has awarded $535,000 in local scholarships and donated nearly $1 million to Pittsburgh philanthropic events so far this year.
"We have about 25 local franchisees in the Pittsburgh area, and they are all funding, and helping fund this effort," says Matamoros.
