Smile Cookie Campaign Supports Peterborough Regional Health Centre For Mental Health
/The Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign will support mental health care that will leave no frowns for the Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC) announced on Thursday.
Staff and Tim Hortons owners lined up outside the main entrance at PHRC with Smile cookies and signs. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
Staff and Tim Hortons owners gathered outside the PHRC main entrance to make the announcement during Tim Hortons’ 25th anniversary of the Smile Cookie Campaign.
The annual fundraiser will run from Sept. 13-19 where the "Smile” cookies can be bought for one dollar apiece where all proceeds will go to the PHRC Foundation and mental health care.
You can purchase them in-store or by online pre-order by visiting PRHC’s website, printing the form and dropping it off at a participating Tim Hortons location.
Ryan Graham, Tim Hortons owner says the Smile Cookie campaign is a great way for their stores and customers to give back to their communities.
“Over the past 25 years, the Smile Cookie campaign has raised more than $60 million for charities, hospitals and community programs across the country - with a record-breaking $110 million in 2020, he said. “We believe it’s never been more important to make sure that people in our communities have access to these services close to home.
Melinda Wall (left) has been the director of mental health services since Jan. 2019. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
Melinda Wall, PHRC director of mental health services expressed her happiness that mental health is being taken more seriously than it was in years past.
"Ten to 20 years ago, you wouldn't have seen a large campaign of this scale for mental health and addictions,” she said. “I think we have come leaps and bounds and are continuing to progress and just making it more something people can talk about and feel like we can rally behind and support our community."
The money will go towards several projects to help expand mental health services since there has been a spike in mental health patient admissions during the last decade according to Wall.
“One of the projects being key is our Crisis Unit,” she explained. “We are doubled in volume in the last 10 years and the space needs to be expanded. That's our number one campaign and additional outdoor space through our courtyard for our patient unit."
Leslie Heighway has been president and CEO for the PRHC Foundation for almost a decade. Photo by David Tuan Bui.
