Tim Hortons says its 30th annual Smile Cookie campaign raised a record $23.3 million this year for nearly 700 local charities and community groups across Canada and the United States.
The company said the latest fundraising total brings the campaign’s cumulative amount raised since its launch in 1996 to more than $174 million.
The campaign, which donates 100 per cent of pre-tax Smile Cookie sales to local causes selected by restaurant owners, began as a local fundraising initiative in Hamilton, Ont.
“Tims restaurant owners are proud members of the communities where they live and work, and for decades their passion for giving back has made the Smile Cookie campaign what it is today,” said Axel Schwan, president of Tim Hortons.
“When the first Smile Cookie was sold in 1996, no one could have imagined we’d one day be celebrating more than $174 million raised in the program’s history. That’s a testament to Tims restaurant owners, team members, volunteers, and guests who have committed to making a difference in their communities year after year. Thank you for your incredible generosity.”
The company said the Smile Cookie campaign was created in 1996 by Maureen Sauve and other Tim Hortons restaurant owners in Hamilton.
According to the company, the original fundraiser was inspired by efforts to support a hospital ward treating Sauve’s daughter at the time.
It said the initiative evolved from a local fundraising effort into a broader annual campaign tied to the company’s community giving efforts.
The company said all pre-tax proceeds from Smile Cookie sales are directed to local charities and community groups chosen by Tim Hortons restaurant owners.
The campaign operates across Tim Hortons locations in Canada and the United States.
Founded in Hamilton in 1964, Tim Hortons said it now operates nearly 4,000 restaurants across Canada and more than 6,000 locations globally.
More from Retail Insider:
