It's that time of year again, the smile cookie charity fundraising campaign is back at Tim Hortons restaurants across Canada.
All money from the cookie purchases until Sunday goes to help local causes.
A total of 35 Tim Hortons throughout the City of Greater Sudbury are involved and money raised will be divided among four local charities:
- CTV Lions Children’s Christmas Telethon
- Health Sciences North Foundation
- Sudbury Hospice Foundation
- Sudbury Food Bank
Marian MacKenzie is a Tim Hortons franchise owner in Sudbury.
"Telethon is our biggest recipient. We also feel very close to Health Sciences North, the hospice, and the food bank. It's a lot of work, every shift, absolutely every team member contributes. They're either making cookies, selling cookies, trying to promote them." said MacKenzie.
The organizations that will be receiving money from the campaign say it is vital to the work they do.
Sam Khoury is the chair of the CTV Lions Children's Christmas Telethon.
"We have lots of families in the Sudbury area and beyond that, to cover and to help assist with the toys and sometimes with their food, if we can make it. 16,000 families we supported last year. The situation this year, it's worse than last year in the Sudbury area. We need all the help we can get." said Khoury.
Mary Lou Hussak is the President of Health Sciences North Foundation, the fundraising arm of Sudbury’s hospital.
"I think a lot of people don't realize that it's community-based fundraising that supports equipment purchases of the hospital. Depending on what the department needs, that affect patient care, then that's the stuff we're going to be funding." said Hussak.
Yolanda Thibeault is the Executive Director of Sudbury Hospice Foundation, where fundraising efforts are underway for expansion at Maison McCulloch Hospice.
"It's very important because our hospice here is continually growing, as well as having to sustain our operational funds, so it's really important that any money that we get comes directly to us to help sustain those programs." said Thibeault.
One franchisee says the impact on the community through the fundraiser is far reaching.
"We have touched all walks of life. Just about every person in our community has seen some benefit from smile cookie." said MacKenzie.
Last year in Sudbury, the smile cookie program raised a total of $110,000. This year’s goal is to sell $115,000.
Other charities getting money from this campaign include:
- Algoma Regional Hospice and Twinkie Foundationin Sault Ste. Marie
- Community Living in North Bay
- Drug Awareness and Resistance Program, otherwise known as DARE, in Timmins
