The 25th annual Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign in the Peterborough area, which runs during the week of September 13th, will be supporting mental health care at Peterborough Regional Health Centre (PRHC).
When you pre-order or purchase the Tim Hortons chocolate chunk “Smile Cookies” for $1 each (plus tax), all proceeds will go to the PRHC Foundation for mental health care services at the regional hospital.
“Last year, there were more than 35,000 mental health related patient visits to PRHC, up from 32,000 the year before,” says Melinda Wall, director of mental health services at PRHC, in a media release. “In the past decade, the number of visits by adults and adolescents seeking support in our mental health and addictions crisis unit has doubled to 3,600 visits in 2020.”
“It’s clear the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic impacts are also having a significant effect on our mental health,” Wall adds. “The true scope of this impact is yet unknown, as well as what it will mean for PRHC’s programs and services.”
Ryan Graham, who owns the Tim Hortons franchises in Bridgenorth, Lakefield, and Curve Lake First Nation, says the Smile Cookie campaign is a great way for both restaurant owners and patrons to give back to their communities.
“Over the past 25 years, the Smile Cookie campaign has raised more than $60 million for charities, hospitals, and community programs across the country, with a record-breaking $11 million in 2020,” Graham says. “This year, we’re directing our support locally to mental health care at PRHC because we believe it’s never been more important to make sure that people in our communities have access to these services close to home.”
Between Monday, September 13th and Sunday, September 19th, Tim Hortons Smile Cookies in support of the PRHC Foundation can be purchased at participating Tim Hortons locations in the Peterborough area, including:
- 1420 Missisauga St., Curve Lake
- 758 Ward St. N., Bridgenorth
- 139 Queen St., Lakefield
- 1527 Water St., Peterborough
- 871-875 Chemong Rd., Peterborough
- 81 Hunter St. E., Peterborough
- 721 Ashburnham Dr., Peterborough
- 1 Hospital Dr., Peterborough
- 157 George St. N., Peterborough
- 645 Lansdowne St. W., Peterborough
- 1200 Lansdowne St. W., Peterborough
- 1781 Lansdowne St. W., Peterborough
- 1420 Crawford Dr., Peterborough
- 949 Highway 7 E., Peterborough
You can also pre-order cookies (including a large number) by downloading a form from the PRHC Foundation website at prhcfoundation.ca/get-ready-to-smile/ and dropping it off at your local Tim Hortons.
Note that pre-orders must be made 48 hours in advance.
Lesley Heighway, president and CEO of the PRHC Foundation, said the hospital and the foundation are honoured to have been selected as the 25th anniversary beneficiary in the Peterborough area, and that the support of the community for this year’s campaign will have a positive impact on mental health care in the region.
“PRHC’s doctors, nurses and staff want to give their patients the best care possible, but we must invest in the safe, functional, and healing indoor and outdoor mental health spaces that support that care, as well as the equipment and technology that bring new, life-changing mental health treatment options to our region.” Heighway says.
“On behalf of everyone at PRHC and in our region who will rely on PRHC for mental health support in the coming months and years, thank you for helping ensure all patients can receive the compassionate, quality care they need and deserve.”
The Tim Hortons Smile Cookie program started in 1996 to help raise funds for the Hamilton Children’s Hospital in Ontario. Today, more than 625 local charities and organizations in communities across Canada benefit from Smile Cookie sales, receiving 100 per cent of the proceeds (excluding taxes).
