The power of social media is strong. Even though a Black Georgia college student received a solid amount of money in a scholarship from Chick-fil-A, many people noticed it was less than other recipients. Instead of complaining, folks got proactive and came to her support.
Last week, several staff members at a Chick-fil-A in Vidalia, Ga. were awarded money from the fast food restaurant’s Remarkable Futures Scholarship. There is a tier for $25,000, $2,500 and $1,000. However, the requirements for $2,500 and $1,000 are the same.
While several employees were awarded $2,500 checks, J’Da Bacon, the only Black employee pictured, was given a check for $1,000.
People on social media noticed the discrepancy, leading to one person on Facebook writing in a viral post, “You see that all these checks say the same thing on the memo line right..? It’s the same leadership scholarship and I know I can read but I also know how to read between the lines too!! So somebody tell me why Ms. Bacon only got a $1000… Looks $1500 short to me!!”
The post continued, “So somebody get Chic-FILA up here right now bc me personally I don’t care for a dry overrated chicken sandwich but I do care to know why this baby’s check isn’t the same as the others !!!
While there were several people in the comment section who claimed this was an example of racism, many more people were asking for ways to donate her money.
This resulted in a family member dropping Bacon’s Cash App in the comment section. However, due to the amount of people sending money, her account was suspended, and her mother, Sharrelle Delegal, started a GoFundMe.
“Recently, her scholarship award photos were shared online and created a stir. Although we did initially question the award amount, we were extremely grateful for having been considered,” wrote Delegal. “J’Da continues to be a faithful and committed employee of Chick-fil-A and will always support their outreach efforts, community initiatives, and future opportunities for partnership. Some community members have expressed shared concerns about her award amount in comparison to others, and we greatly appreciate your concerns and willingness to continue supporting J’Da on her academic journey.”
Since the fund was made available, more than $26,000 has been raised for Bacon to get her undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of West Georgia.