Smile Cookie week begins with sweet grin for Canadian Mental Health Association

The Canadian Mental Health Association of York Region and South Simcoe had plenty of reasons to smile on Monday as they gathered at the Tim Hortons at John West Way and Wellington Street East on Monday to kick off Smile Cookie Week.

Running through May 4, Tim Hortons locations in Aurora will donate proceeds from the sale of Smile Cookies to the local branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA-YRSS) to benefit a variety of their programs, but particularly youth mental health services.

It was an appropriate location to kick off the campaign on Monday morning as it coincided with a flood of youth coming in from the nearby St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic High School to enjoy their lunch – and pick up a few cookies of their own.

“We're here and it is filled with students and they know we're here to help young people with their mental wellbeing,” says CMHA-YRSS CEO Rebecca Shields who decorated a few of the beneficial biscuits at the launch. “It's a natural fit and it is really something that is meaningful to the community and I think all of us realize how much mental health care we need to support people.”

This is the second year CMHA-YRSS has benefited from the Smile Cookie campaign and last year alone the popular fundraising event garnered more than $25,000 for the CMHA-YRSS' youth services, including their mobile mental health unit, MOBYSS.

“Any time we can bring community together to offer people a way to donate that is easy, fun and delicious, why wouldn't we?” said Shields with a fitting smile. “We're so grateful for Tim Hortons in Aurora. We're just so thankful Tim Hortons Aurora chose us to be the recipient and to help us do the good work that we do for the people who are here in Aurora.”

When asked what she would offer as a pitch for people to support the cause with the purchase of a cookie, Shields laughed: “Don't pick up a cookie, pick up a box!”

“My kids on Smile Cookie week are super-smiling because they know pretty much every day I bring home a box of Tim Horton's Smile cookies. Might as well make somebody in your family smile, too!”

The Smile Cookie program started in 1996 to help raise funds for the Hamilton Children's Hospital in Ontario.

Today, more than 600 local charities and organizations in communities across Canada benefit from Smile Cookie sales.

The Tim Hortons 2024 Smile Cookie campaign raised more than $19.8 million in one week for over 600 charities, hospitals and community groups across Canada.

Sales in King Township will go towards the Aurora-based Hope House Community Hospice while Newmarket sales will benefit the Southlake Foundation.

For more information on the initiative, including the beneficiaries in each community, and how to order cookies online in advance, with sales still benefiting local partners, visit www.timhortons.ca/smile-cookie.

By Brock Weir