HALDIMAND—The Tim Hortons Holiday Smile Cookie campaign spreads happiness across Canada, bringing communities together to spread joy and provide critical support to local charities.
This year, the campaign once again touched the hearts of many in Haldimand County, with 100% of proceeds from every Holiday Smile Cookie sold going to essential community organizations, including the Caledonia and District Food Bank, the Hagersville Food Bank, True Experience, Jarvis Caring Cupboard, Everlasting Tree School, and Tim Hortons Foundation Camps.
For local groups, the funds raised through this initiative are more than just financial aid; they represent the spirit of unity and generosity that defines the holiday season.
Last year, the national Holiday Smile Cookie campaign raised an astounding $9.8 million, with Haldimand County contributing significantly to the total. This year, the campaign aimed to surpass that milestone, rallying even more community support to make a lasting difference for those in need.
According to Shaun Salverda, owner of the Jarvis and Hagersville locations, the goal has always been to strengthen the local impact of the campaign.
“All of our Haldimand locations are supporting their local food banks with this year’s Holiday Smile Cookie program,” Salverda explained. “We’re proud of what we accomplished last year and are optimistic about the outcome this year.”
Salverda said, “Collectively we sold over 21,000 cookies this year between our Caledonia, Hagersville, and Jarvis locations.”
He said they selected food banks because “we found there is a big need for this in our communities, especially with the way the economy is this year.”
“We regularly donate food and coffee to the food banks, but this helps them financially to purchase specifically what they need for their clients,” he said. “Most importantly, these food banks help families in crisis get through their toughest times, not having to worry about their ‘next meal’ and keeping children’s belly’s full.”
Among the local organizations benefitting from this year’s campaign is True Experience in Dunnville, a community work and supportive housing program dedicated to helping individuals struggling with mental health challenges.
The funds raised from the Dunnville location will directly support Trillium Manor, a 12-hour care home operated by True Experience, which provides a safe and inclusive environment for seven residents.
With no external funding, Trillium Manor relies entirely on community contributions to keep its doors open.
Rhonda Geyer, Executive Director of True Experience, expressed deep gratitude for the support, emphasizing how critical it is for their operations.
“The funds we receive this year from the Tim Hortons Holiday Smile Cookie campaign will help us continue providing a homelike environment for our residents,” Geyer said. “This campaign means everything to us. Together, we do great things.”
The Hagersville Food Bank also played a significant role in this year’s campaign, with proceeds helping to sustain its essential services.
“We are currently spending in excess of $7,000 a month for food for our clients,” said food bank coordinator Dave Lane. “The Smile Cookie campaign has been going very well. We are truly thankful that Tim Hortons has chosen us for the campaign this year.”
Volunteers worked tirelessly throughout the week to decorate the iconic smile cookies, a labour of love that underscores the community’s commitment to supporting one another.
The Caledonia and District Food Bank also stands to benefit from the campaign, which helps offset the growing demand for its services.
Dorette Allemang, Manager, expressed her gratitude for the support provided by the campaign and the community’s involvement: “We are very grateful to the owners of our local Tim Hortons restaurants to have been chosen as the beneficiary.”
“Last year, this campaign raised $7,542.98 for our food bank,” noted Allemang.
“The number of clients we are assisting has increased by 30% from last year, so these funds will be used to purchase food items to continue our operations to assist those in need.”
She also highlighted the collaborative effort involved in the campaign, noting how she and others from benefitting organizations get involved with cookie decorating: “The wonderful people from the Inclusions Developmental Services Group enjoyed decorating the cookies last year for us and have been decorating again this year. I also contacted McKinnon High School to give students the opportunity to decorate some cookies and receive their community volunteer hours.”
“We thank everyone for supporting this campaign, which also benefits the Tim Hortons Foundation Camps,” added Allemang.
The Tim Hortons Foundation Camps, a long-time recipient of Smile Cookie funds, remains a cornerstone of the campaign’s charitable efforts. The foundation provides transformative experiences for youth from underserved communities, helping them develop essential life skills through camp programs. It receives 50% of the funds raised.
For those involved in the campaign, the real reward lies in the stories of lives changed and communities strengthened. Volunteers, customers, and Tim Hortons staff alike rallied behind the initiative, motivated by the knowledge that their contributions were making a tangible difference.
From the cheerful act of buying a cookie to the dedicated effort of decorating thousands of them, every small action added up to create a significant impact.
The campaign also served as a reminder of the power of collective action, proving that when communities come together, they can achieve remarkable things.
The final numbers for this year’s campaign in Haldimand County are yet to be tallied, but there is little doubt that the results will once again highlight the generosity and compassion of the local community.
