Presents South Dallas non-profit with check for more than $60K thanks to Chili’s Guests
Chili’s Grill & Bar and Bonton Farms – one of the largest urban farms in the United States – expanded their pre-existing partnership in April to include the non-profit as a new “round up” recipient at all 80 DFW-area Chili’s restaurants.
Every time a Chili’s Guest pays their bill, either online or on an in-restaurant Point of Sale, they’re asked if they’d like to round up to the nearest dollar with the additional cents going straight to Bonton Farms. They’re also able to give more if they want.
Guests in the Dallas – Fort Worth Metroplex have displayed their generosity en masse, allowing the DFW-based casual dining staple to present a check for more than $60,000 Wednesday to the South Dallas non-profit.
“When we look to give back, we commit to non-profits that tackle issues connected to kids, ending hunger, or education, and Bonton Farms checks all three boxes,” said Tammy Jones-Still, Brinker International Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. “What they’ve done in the food desert of Bonton in South Dallas is inspiring to us. We’ve already partnered with them in the past through our GROW Workforce and Development Program and see an opportunity to continue to raise awareness and allow our Guests to give back locally.”
This new round up giveback supports Bonton Farms’ efforts in the Bonton area of South Dallas, which was hit particularly hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. The additional funds raised through the round-up program will support the organization’s comprehensive capital campaign, Project Gamechanger, which will raise more than $11 million to fund a health and wellness center, a financial institution, affordable housing, capacity building and people development.
“For far too long, Dallas has been known as a tale of two cities,” said Bonton Farms Founder and CEO Daron Babcock. “Among the many disparities neighborhoods like Bonton have historically experienced, the lack of economic opportunity remains high on the list. Bonton Farms is committed to disrupting these systems of inequity, which continue to hold back so many of our neighbors to this very day. Our partnership with Brinker is monumental in several important ways: first and foremost, it helps pave career pathways through the GROW Workforce and Development Program; and finally, it is a testament to the fact that these problems can be solved when public, private and philanthropic forces align.”
Chili’s instituted its round up program nationwide in mid-2020 with the proceeds going to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The program launched with Bonton Farms in mid-December at five DFW Chili’s locations, and the results were promising enough to warrant a full roll out throughout DFW. Chili’s is now setting its sights on identifying other deserving urban farms or similar non-profits throughout the United States to become the next round up recipients.
Brinker International’s relationship with Bonton Farms started in 2020 when CEO Wyman Roberts took a tour of their facility and made the determination that writing a one-time check wouldn’t be enough of a commitment to a cause that so closely matched what the company values in a non-profit partner. In 2021, Chili’s and Bonton developed the GROW Workforce and Development Program, a five-session training that allows a group of workers who have been homeless, incarcerated or otherwise disadvantaged to earn a certificate indicating they’re trained and able for restaurant work, including in Chili’s restaurants.
About Chili’s® Grill & Bar
Hi, welcome to Chili’s! We’re a leader in the casual dining industry and the flagship brand of Dallas-based Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT). We’re known for our big mouth burgers, Texas-sized ribs, full-on sizzling fajitas and hand-shaken margaritas. We take our food seriously – but not ourselves – because dining out should feel like a celebration even if there is nothing to celebrate. Our passion is making every Guest feel special, and every day, our ChiliHeads make it their job to spread #ChilisLove across our more than 1,600 restaurants in 29 countries and two territories. And Chili’s cares. We host local Give Back Events to support kids, education and hunger and have raised more than $88 million benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital through generous guest donations. Find more information about us at chilis.com, follow us on Twitter or Instagram, like us on Facebook @Chilis or join us on TikTok @chilisofficial.
About Bonton Farms
Started in 2012, Bonton Farms was built to help feed people in the Bonton food desert where access to healthy foods was non-existent. With every harvest and neighbor served, they uncovered the roots of the community’s struggle were so much deeper. Bonton Farms exists to transform lives by disrupting systems of inequity, laying a foundation where change yields health, wholeness and opportunity as the norm. For more information, visit bontonfarms.org.
