This year’s Smile Cookie campaign has set new fund-raising records in the local area.
The campaign raised $49,396.31 for the Norfolk General Hospital Foundation, a new record for the local initiative. The previous record, set last year, was $45,000.
A record was also set for the donation made to the West Haldimand Hospital and Healthcare Foundation in Hagersville. The $28,928 is almost $7,700 more than in 2021.
During the campaign Tim Hortons customers are invited to purchase Smile Cookies for $1 with proceeds turned over to local charitable organizations. The campaign runs annually in September.
“Smile Cookie is definitely my favorite event of the year,” Penny Bellhouse, the NGH foundation’s executive director, said in a statement. “Our community comes together to support healthcare close to home in the most delicious way possible.”
Norfolk Tim Hortons stores have donated more than $300,000 to the Norfolk hospital foundation since the start of the Smile Cookie program. The annual campaign is supported by Norfolk Tim Hortons owners Grant and Cheryl Nelson, Shirley and Hilary Robertson and Steve and Shaun Salverda.
In neighboring Haldimand County, the Tim Hortons outlets in Hagersville and Jarvis, owned by Salverda, have raised nearly $100,000 over the last seven years for West Haldimand hospital.
“Every dollar raised through this campaign ensures that WHGH can continue to provide access to high-quality healthcare close to home,” said Lisa Hostein, executive director of the West Haldimand foundation, in a release. “The strong show of support we have received from our friends at Tim Hortons and our local community really demonstrates how committed they are to making sure we have state of the art medical equipment available to the patients and families that we serve.”
The hospital foundations raise funds to support capital improvements at their community hospitals. The improvements include renovations to the hospital and the purchase of new equipment, items not covered by the provincial Ministry of Health.
The Smile Cookie program started in 1996 to raise money for Hamilton Children’s Hospital. Since then, the campaign has spread across the country and supports initiatives in communities where Tim Hortons has restaurants.
Nationally, the campaign supports more than 625 local charities, hospitals and community programs.