Smile Cookie Campaign smashes previous fundraising record

Posted on: Staff Writer

From edition: December 7 2022 Strathmore Times

By John Watson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Strathmore FCSS received a donation of just over $20,000 which was raised during the Tim Hortons’ annual Smile Cookie campaign this year. The campaign took place in September, selling more cookies than any previous year. In its six year lifespan so far, the campaign has raised over $72,000 for the FCSS in Strathmore.

Photo Courtesy of Tracy Korpi

The Strathmore Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) has received the total donations raised through the Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign this year, totalling its biggest year to date.

FCSS received the cheque from Tim Horton’s on Nov. 25, which totalled $20,000.13. Last year, the campaign raised $15,110 for the FCSS, which was celebrated in mid-November. 

Last year’s campaign saw a record high for cookies sold during Smile Cookie week, in comparison to previous years, which was blown out of the water this year.

“It ran similar to every other year. Tim Hortons approached us again and wanted to make the donation to us. We are very grateful and humbled by that,” said Catherine Walsh, who spoke on behalf of the Strathmore FCSS. “Tim’s challenged us to sell $20,000 cookies and raise $20,000 and so we were like ‘okay, we are game,’ and we were very successful. Our community members and businesses pulled together to make this year’s smile cookie campaign a huge success.”

For the duration of the smile cookie campaign, 100 per cent of the proceeds from sales of the cookies go towards a charity of the respective Tim Horton’s choosing.

The three Tim Hortons location in Strathmore have elected to support the local FCSS for the past six years, raising roughly $72,000 in total.

Walsh explained the continued support the FCSS receives from the smile cookie campaign every year grants the team an extra degree of flexibility in how they are able to give back to the community and support those who are in need.

“We are just truly amazed by the community’s generosity and so grateful to Tim Hortons for their continued support,” she said. “This campaign helps families to access transportation, medical treatments, and other essential services like housing assistance, identification, food security and pharmacy needs.”

During the annual campaign, smile cookies are sold at Tim Horton’s for one dollar a piece. Each individual Tim Horton’s franchise is able to choose their own organization to support over the campaign’s duration. This year’s campaign ran from Sept. 19 to 25.