These cookies have brought smiles to the faces of everyone involved.
We’re talking about Smile Cookies from Tim Hortons, specifically the operations owned by the Grail and Pritchard families, where proceeds from the recent campaign went to the Children’s Treatment Centre Foundation (CTCF) of Chatham-Kent.
This year’s campaign saw more than $66,000 raised.
The funds will help fuel programs and services at the Children’s Treatment Centre that are not funded through government sources, including social work, therapeutic recreation, and music therapy.
The campaign was made possible through the partnership and generosity of local Tim Hortons owners, the Pritchard family and Mike and Paula Grail, who once again selected the CTCF as the local Smile Cookie charity recipient.
Baking took place in Tim Hortons kitchens, and also at one volunteer-driven location – the Chatham Armoury.
More than 100 volunteers also played an important role throughout the campaign, spending hours baking, decorating, packaging, and delivering Smile Cookies from the Armoury kitchen to help ensure the initiative’s success across Chatham-Kent.
Mike Genge, president and CEO of the foundation, said sales, and support, were brisk. He credits the aid of volunteer bakers for helping to push the sales so high.
“Once again, it was over the top. We had groups (of volunteers) from Sunday to Thursday and had a total of eight shifts of at least 10 people per shift,” he said of volunteers who baked cookies at the Chatham Armoury. “We did over 18,000 cookies. It was great. We made almost half of what they sold.”
He added that Lisa Lester at Four Diamond Events made it possible for the baking to take place at the Armoury at no charge.
From Tim Horton ownership support, through volunteers and to the drive-thru window and in-store sales of the cookies, Genge said the community backing was superb.
“The support we receive through Smile Cookie is truly incredible,” he said. “This campaign continues to show the strength and generosity of our community. Every cookie purchased helps provide important programs and services for children and families across Chatham-Kent.”
Elsewhere in Chatham-Kent, Tim Hortons locations in Tilbury, Thamesville, Ridgetown, and Blenheim raised $37,733 for the Ontario Student Nutrition Program. Every dollar is going towards providing snacks and meals for students in these communities.
Nationally, the 2026 Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Campaign raised more than $23.3 million in support of more than 700 charities and community groups across Canada, highlighting the widespread impact of the initiative from coast to coast.
