The annual Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign ran from Sept. 19 to 25 in participating restaurants across Canada this year.
When customers purchased a chocolate chunk Smile Cookie for $1 plus applicable taxes, the local Tim Hortons restaurant owners donated 100 per cent of proceeds to Community Care Peterborough’s ‘Give A Meal’ and ‘Give A Drive’ subsidy program initiatives.
These services through the CCP assist seniors and adults with physical challenges in the Peterborough community to live independently, and at home by providing services such as transportation and meal delivery.
“Although we have many clients who do not struggle, we have an increasing number who do. Many more seniors and adults with disabilities are making difficult choices about cutting food costs or missing medical appointments to reduce travel costs in order to remain in their home,” said Alicia Vandine, CCP donor relations and communications lead. “To assist these clients, we created the Give A Meal and Give A Drive subsidy programs. These subsidy programs allow seniors and adults with disabilities to access these services for free or at a reduced rate depending on their financial circumstances. It also allows us to help us subsidize the costs related to these programs so that we also have affordable options for those clients who can pay for them on their own.”
The Smile Cookie campaign began in 1996 as a way to raise funds for the Hamilton Children’s Hospital. In the last 26 years, it has grown to become a major fundraising event at Tim Hortons restaurants, raising more than $75 million for local charities and community groups.
Last year, Tim Hortons raised over $12 million for over 600 charities and community groups, and almost $70,000 locally for mental health care at Peterborough Regional Health Centre.
