From healthcare in Kawartha Lakes to palliative care in Northumberland County to children’s services in Peterborough, non-profit organizations in the Kawarthas are going to benefit from the Tim Hortons “Smile Cookie” campaign.
When customers buy Smile Cookies at participating restaurant locations from Monday (April 28) until May 4, 100 per cent of the proceeds will benefit partner charities.
In the City of Kawartha Lakes, one beneficiary is the Ross Memorial Hospital (RMH) Foundation, with money raised supporting advancements in patient care at the Lindsay hospital.
The RMH Foundation said in a media release that it appreciates Nick and Meaghan Chapman, owners of five Tim Hortons restaurants in Lindsay, for selecting RMH as a partner charity for the campaign.
“We’re very grateful to the Chapmans, and to all the business leaders in Kawartha Lakes who give back to their community with fundraising support for the Ross,” said RMH Foundation CEO Erin Coons. “They invite everyone to play a part in patient care, and they raise awareness of the important investments underway at the hospital.”
The purchase of Smile Cookies helps support some of the highest-priority projects at RMH, which include growing critical care capacity in the emergency department and intensive care unit, ensuring access to the best diagnostic imaging technology and leading-edge bedside equipment enabling life-saving care.
“We are happy to be in a position to help the Ross, not just because it’s important to our family when we need care, but because it’s important to everybody,” said Nick Chapman in a statement. “We all need the hospital at some time. We look forward to this Smile Cookie campaign and appreciate our patrons’ support for important community causes.”
The Chapmans’ Tim Hortons restaurants include three locations on Kent Street West, one at the corner of County Road 36 and Mount Hope Street, and one on Highway 35 south of Highway 7. Other Lindsay-area stores are supporting Kawartha Lakes Food Source and the Humane Society of Kawartha Lakes.
Elsewhere in Kawartha Lakes, the Bobcaygeon store is supporting the Bobcaygeon Public School Breakfast Program and the Dunsford Public School Breakfast Program and the Fenelon Falls store is supporting Fenelon Falls Secondary School and Langton Public School Breakfast Program.
In Northumberland County, Ed’s House Northumberland Hospice Care Centre Foundation is one recipient of the 2025 Smile Cookie fundraiser, with 100 per cent of the proceeds from every Smile Cookie sold at participating Tim Hortons locations in Cobourg and Colborne supporting the care and comfort provided by Community Care Northumberland’s Ed’s House and Hospice Services.
“We are incredibly grateful to be part of the Smile Cookie campaign this year,” said Trish Baird, CEO of Community Care Northumberland, in a media release. “Every cookie purchased helps ensure more individuals and families can receive the same compassionate, high-quality care when they need it most.”
This year’s Smile Cookies feature Tim Hortons’ new chocolate chunk cookie, hand-decorated with bright pink and blue icing smiles. Also new this year is the Smile Cookie reversible plushie — “a fun keepsake that helps support Ed’s House.” Smile cookies are $2 each plus tax.
Community members can buy Smile Cookies for Ed’s House at Tim Hortons locations in Cobourg at 970 Division St., 1011 Division St., 432 King St. E., 125 Elgin St. W., and 749 William St., and in Colborne at 289 Big Apple Drive.
To place a bulk order in support of Ed’s House, download the pre-order form at www.edshouse.northumberlandhospice.ca and email it to edshousedonorinfo@commcare.ca, or call 905-885-0466.
Also in Northumberland County, four Port Hope stores are supporting Navy League Cadets, with locations in Campbellford and Brighton supporting Inclusion Northumberland.
Meanwhile, in Peterborough, Lakefield, and Bridgenorth, most stores are supporting BGC Kawarthas Foundation, Five Counties Children’s Centre, and the Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (CMHA HKPR).
“We are very grateful to Tim Hortons locations in Peterborough and the surrounding area for selecting BGC Kawarthas Foundation, CMHA HKPR, and Five Counties to be the beneficiaries of the annual Smile Cookie campaign,” said Five Counties CEO Scott Pepin in a statement. “Fundraising efforts like this will support all aspects of the health and wellness for children and youth in our communities.”
To support these organizations, residents can visit one of the 19 Tim Hortons locations in Peterborough and surrounding areas to purchase a Smile Cookie. Bulk orders are also available and can be ordered by downloading a form from the Five Counties website and dropping the completed form off at one of the locations.
During the campaign, volunteers from BGC Kawarthas, CMHA HKPR, and Five Counties will be on hand decorating cookies, collecting donations, and thanking visitors.
There are also two Tim Hortons locations in Peterborough that are supporting other causes. The store inside the Peterborough Regional Health Centre is supporting Food Banks of Canada and the franchise inside Fleming College is supporting the Student Administrative Council Fund for Food Security.
Further north in the Kawarthas region, the two stores in Bancroft are supporting North Hastings District Hospital Auxiliary and the two stores in Haliburton and Minden are supporting Central Food Network.
Since 1996, the annual Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign has raised a total of more than $130 million for charities and community groups selected every year by restaurant owners. Last year alone, the campaign raised $19.8 million for more than 600 charities, hospitals, and community groups across Canada.
