Five charities benefit as fast food chain marks 60 years in the UK
THE KFC YOUTH FOUNDATION has awarded £30,000 in grants to support grassroots charities and community groups across Wales that work with young people, including those from minority communities and those facing mental health challenges.
Five Welsh groups will each receive £6,000 in funding spread over two years as part of the Foundation’s largest-ever round of grants. The funding milestone coincides with KFC’s 60th anniversary in the UK and Ireland.
The successful recipients include the Newport Yemeni Community Association, Youth Shedz Cymru, and The SAFE Foundation, a Cardiff-based charity which works locally and internationally to empower marginalised people.
Carrie-Anne Clark, Finance & Outreach Events Director at The SAFE Foundation, said: “Thanks to the KFC Youth Foundation we can support more young people than ever, harnessing their unique abilities and giving them a safe place to discover their passions. In the future, we want to see more young people having their voices heard, and their actions in making the world a fairer, more equal place be celebrated.”
This year, the KFC Youth Foundation has awarded nearly £500,000 to more than 150 local causes across the UK—its biggest funding drive since its creation. Since launching ten years ago, the Foundation has invested over £10 million in charities providing education, career opportunities, and personal development for young people.
The grants also feature in KFC’s first-ever economic and community impact report, Believing in Chicken Since ’65, which outlines the fast food chain’s social and economic contributions across the UK.
In Wales alone, the report states that:
- KFC adds £38 million a year to the local economy
- The chain supports 1,671 jobs across the country
- Nationally, KFC has contributed £11.6 billion to the UK economy over 60 years
Jenny Packwood, Chief Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Officer for KFC Pan-Europe, said: “The outlook for young people is tougher than ever before, which is why the KFC Youth Foundation funds local charities across the UK that help young people access support and opportunities to unlock their potential. This latest funding round is our biggest yet and reinforces KFC’s ongoing commitment to the communities we serve.”
