Wendy’s Donated $500k to Black Causes, Pledged to Amplify ‘Black Voices’

Wendy’s announced earlier this month that it would donate $500,000 to help the black community and promised “to amplify Black voices” on its Twitter account — before being targeted by rioters in Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday night.

Protests erupted in outrage over the shooting death of 27-year-old Rayshard Brooks, who was killed in a confrontation with police Friday in the parking lot of a Wendy’s. Brooks allegedly resisted arrest and took an officer’s taser as he fled.

Earlier this month, Wendy’s had backed the Black Lives Matter movement that mobilized after the killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old African American man, in police custody in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Wendy’s joined many other corporations in making large donations to organizations and voicing its support for the movement on social media.

Our voice would be nothing without Black culture. Right now, a lot of people are hurting because of blatant racism against Black people. Their voices need to be heard. Period. #BlackLivesMatter

— Wendy’s (@Wendys) June 3, 2020

We’re about putting our money where our mouth is. So here’s our money and here’s our mouth. We are committed to donating $500k to support social justice, the youth and education in the Black community starting with the Thurgood Marshall College Fund and we’ll have receipts.

— Wendy’s (@Wendys) June 3, 2020

Our employees and customers have spoken loud and clear. We know we have a lot more to do than a donation. We’re committed to doing the work and we hear you.

— Wendy’s (@Wendys) June 3, 2020

In the coming days, we’ll be using our Twitter account to amplify Black voices. Because what’s the point of this big platform if we don’t use it for what matters during times like these?

— Wendy’s (@Wendys) June 3, 2020

Police tried to arrest Brooks after he fell asleep in the Wendy’s drive-thru, and allegedly failed a field sobriety test they administered on their arrival, attempting to flee afterwards.

CNN has backed the Black Lives Matter protests, editorially, but a CNN crew was attacked on Saturday evening outside the Wendy’s as rioters began to torch it.

Joel B. Pollak is Senior Editor-at-Large at Breitbart News and the host of Breitbart News Sunday on Sirius XM Patriot on Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET (4 p.m. to 7 p.m. PT). His new book, RED NOVEMBER, is available for pre-order. He is a winner of the 2018 Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship. Follow him on Twitter at @joelpollak.