Chicago's Black-Owned Chick-fil-A Fights Food Insecurity with Farming Group
Chicago’s First Black-Owned Chick-fil-A Partners with Local Sustainable Farming Group to Combat Food Insecurity In an effort to address food insecurity, a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Chicago has partnered with a local urban farming organization to expa...
Black News 
Chicago’s First Black-Owned Chick-fil-A Partners with Local Sustainable Farming Group to Combat Food Insecurity
In an effort to address food insecurity, a Chick-fil-A restaurant in Chicago has partnered with a local urban farming organization to expand access to fresh, nutritious food. Located in the South Loop since 2021, the restaurant—owned by Kareem Edwards—is the city’s first Black-owned Chick-fil-A franchise.
A Community-Focused Partnership
Earlier this year, Edwards donated $50,000 to Just Roots Chicago, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting community farms throughout Chicago and its surrounding suburbs.
In addition to growing fresh produce, Just Roots offers educational programming, including cooking classes, nutrition workshops, and gardening lessons designed to empower residents with knowledge and resources.
“Really, what we are all about is trying to make sure that the food we’re growing is as fresh as it can be, and it’s staying in the community,” said Sean Ruane, co-founder of Just Roots.
The partnership developed organically after Edwards and his family began attending community events hosted by Just Roots. Their shared commitment to local impact led to a collaboration centered on sustainability and access.
Expanding the Impact
Beyond this initiative, Edwards’ Chick-fil-A location partners with a local food bank to donate leftover meals, helping address hunger across the city.
Edwards and his wife, Janelle, also host an annual back-to-school breakfast for teachers and school staff, reinforcing their broader commitment to community support.
An Unconventional Path to Ownership
Edwards’ journey into the restaurant industry was anything but traditional. Originally from Far Rockaway, Queens, he began his career on Wall Street but found himself searching for more meaningful work.
“If I go to business school, I understand even more about business, and then maybe I go down entrepreneurship or find something that I truly like,” Edwards said.
After earning his MBA, Edwards joined Kraft Heinz, where he led innovation efforts, before transitioning to Google. While working in tech, he simultaneously trained within the Chick-fil-A system, ultimately opening his own franchise at 1101 South Clinton Street.
