Holiday Smile Cookie sales will support Aurora Food Pantry

Sales of a favourite holiday treat that never fails to put a smile on your face will benefit local food insecurity this season.

Tim Hortons is set to launch its Holiday Smile Cookie Campaign, which will run from November 17 – 23, and proceeds from local sales will benefit the Aurora Food Pantry.

This is the third year the Pantry has been the recipient of Holiday Smile Cookie proceeds and Executive Director Sandra Seepaul says every dollar raised is vital to the community.

“In 2023, they raised $7,308 and in 2024, they raised $10,391 – now we're here at 2025 and we'll see what we can come up with! We're grateful for community businesses like Tim Hortons that continue to support the Pantry year after year, because our expenses have increased significantly with the number of our clients also increasing,” says Seepaul.

At this time of year, so soon after Thanksgiving, a season where giving rises, shelves at the Aurora Food Pantry are typically well-stocked – in a typical year.

This, however, is not a typical year and Seepaul says the Pantry is in a position where they are purchasing 80 per cent of their food compared to the donations that have come in.

“We just went through Thanksgiving and you would think we would not have to purchase any of our food right now, but that is not the case,” she says. “This type of support from the community is really helpful to us. It means that we can buy from suppliers, buying more for less. It also means, too, that we can continue to purchase healthier and quality foods for our clients.

“For instance, we continue to buy fresh produce. We're able to continue purchasing our milk, our eggs and margarine, cheese, yogurt, and that sort of thing so that people can have fresh items in their fridges as well. [But] I think people always forget that they can buy us produce like onions, potatoes, apples, carrots – we're always spending money on those. As far as food items go, we're buying everything across the board. Whatever anybody tries to give us, we're very appreciative because, right now we need it.”

Some additional needs of the Aurora Food Pantry that might not be top of mind are egg cartons, which they reuse, and any extra reusable grocery bags you no longer need, as clients use when selecting food from their Industrial Parkway South shelves.

While they caution people to check the Best Before labels on what they intend to donate as anything past that expiration can't be distributed and disposing of them creates more work for Food Pantry volunteers, Seepaul says that literally anything else would be gratefully received.

“It's funny, usually every year we would put out a list of things that we do need and the things to not buy – I can't even say that this year.”

For more on the Aurora Food Pantry, including how to donate and volunteer, visit aurorafoodpantry.ca.

By Brock Weir
Editor
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter