Backus Community Café receives Cenex Grant

Our most recent Hometown Pride grant winner is the Backus Community Café in International
Falls, MN, which began in 2012 with a small volunteer kitchen staff that prepared free meals twice
each week for community members looking for a hot meal and a place to connect with others.
 Between 2019 and 2021, the café increased the number of meals provided from 4,689 to well
over 25,200 to meet the demand of the community’s rising poverty rate and increased food
insecurity as a result of COVID-19. Today, the Backus Community Café remains a staple community organization by continuing to provide hot meals to those in need, and by stepping in to support community members with additional disaster relief when needed.

What will the Hometown Pride grant be used for?  
With the help of the Cenex ® Hometown Pride grant, the café’s impact will only be strengthened.
The Backus Community Café plans to use the grant to fund approximately 6,000 additional meals
for its community members.
What is the Hometown Pride grant?
The Hometown Pride grant initiative awards $25,000 to support local philanthropic efforts that
empower community connections in the Cenex communities where our dealers and retailers call
home.
Grants have been awarded to nonprofit organizations, community service groups, and unique
traditional community events.
Nominations are submitted by local Cenex dealers or retailers, and are granted on a quarterly
basis.
Why does this Hometown Pride initiative exist?   
Cenex branded retail locations are independently owned and operated by members of the
community, and it’s important to reinvest in what matters to our network, like the folks at the
Backus Community Café.
The Cenex brand is proud to help our local business owners support causes that make a
difference in their community. Heading into 2023, Cenex will have invested over $400,000 into
local organizations across its footprint through the Hometown Pride grant initiative.    
As the consumer retail brand of CHS, the country’s largest farmer-owned cooperative, the Cenex
brand is proud of its long-standing history of serving communities across rural America. 
  
Who is eligible to nominate organizations for a Hometown Pride grant? 
All dealers, retailers and distributors in the Cenex network are eligible to enter, which is
comprised of nearly 1,500 c-stores across 19 states.
Where can people go to learn more?
Learn more about Hometown Pride and all the other ways the Cenex brand gives back to local
communities at cenex.com/local-giving

Dealer/Cooperative Key Messages

 
What is the Hometown Pride grant?
The Hometown Pride grant initiative awards $25,000 to support local philanthropic efforts that
empower community connections in the Cenex communities where our dealers and retailers call
home.
Grants have been awarded to nonprofit organizations, community service groups, and unique
traditional community events.
Nominations are submitted by local Cenex dealers or retailers, and are granted on a quarterly
basis.
Why did you nominate the Backus Community Café for this grant?  
Coop Service, Inc. is part of the Cenex branded family of dealers and retailers, which makes our
cooperative eligible to nominate local organizations benefiting our community for the Hometown
Pride grant initiative presented by Cenex.
Within the past year, the Backus Community Café has become a necessity in the community to
help alleviate hunger. It helps address such a great need in International Falls by providing an
average of over 300 meals per week.
Through countless volunteers, a summer food service program for children and by creating a
space for elderly residents to gather and socialize, the Backus Community Café serves not only to
provide essentials but also as a place for community connection.
What will the Hometown Pride grant be used for?  
With the help of the Cenex ® Hometown Pride grant, the café’s impact will only be strengthened.
The Backus Community Café plans to use the grant to fund approximately 6,000 additional meals
for its community members.
 
Who is eligible to nominate organizations for a Hometown Pride grant? 
All Cenex branded dealers, retailers and distributors are eligible to enter, which is comprised of
nearly 1,500 c-stores across 19 states.
Where can people go to learn more?
Learn more about Hometown Pride and all the other ways Cenex gives back to local communities
at cenex.com/local-giving