The 2020 Smile Cookie Campaign held in Tilbury, Ridgetown, Thamesville and Blenheim has surpassed last year's fundraising total.
Those local Tim Hortons stores raised $16,881 this year, which is $1,200 more than last year's campaign. Tim Hortons franchise owners Cara and Dan Gragtmans recently presented the cheque to Chatham-Kent Student Nutrition Coordinator Al Davies. The money raised will be used to support the purchase of food for school nutrition programs across Chatham-Kent.
The popular Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Campaign is held every September and raises money for 500 different charities across Canada. The full $1 from each cookie sold goes directly to chosen organizations. The Chatham Kent Student Nutrition program serves more than 4,000 children at local schools with the help of almost 450 volunteers. The program offers healthy breakfasts, lunches or snacks to children who need them at 48 Breakfast or Snack Clubs in schools across Chatham-Kent.
"Children may arrive hungry at school for a variety of reasons such as busy schedules, busing, finances, etc., said CK Public Health. "Providing them with a healthy meal or snack, we enable them to make the most of their educational opportunities."
The program receives financial assistance from community organizations and businesses as well as caring individuals. It's also a member of the United Way of Chatham-Kent and receives grants from Breakfast for Learning of Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services through the Ontario Student Nutrition Program and Breakfast Clubs of Canada.