MEDIA RELEASE – RVH and Hospice Simcoe benefit from sweet year for Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign

October 28, 2022

Barrie, October 27, 2022

 A record-breaking $15 million has been raised for more than 600 local charities and community groups through the sales of Smile Cookies at Tim Hortons restaurants across Canada. In Barrie and Stroud, local Tim Hortons restaurants and guests together raised over $174,000 to be split by two charities – Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) and Hospice Simcoe. 

The first-ever Smile Cookie campaign in 1996 raised funds to support Hamilton Children’s Hospital. Since then, the annual charitable campaign has raised a total of more than $92 million for charities and organizations that are selected every year by Tim Hortons restaurant owners. Recipients include local hospitals, community care organizations, food banks and schools. 

Cutline/Photo Attached:
Kelly Hubbard, Executive Director, Hospice Simcoe (middle centre, right), is joined by Gail Hunt, president and CEO, RVH (middle centre, left), Marilyn Guest, Fund Development Manager, Hospice Simcoe (middle, third from right), and Paul Larche, RVH Foundation Board Chair (middle, third from left), as well as Barrie and Stroud Tim Hortons restaurant owners and staff (from top left to right: Brandon Newlove, Jason Holman, middle left to right: Geoff House, Mark Hinton, Johnny Mizzoni and Susan Holman, bottom left to right: Paul Stevenson, Sarah Hinton, Dawn Melling, Lauren Melling, Lianne Melling and Tammy Hughes) to celebrate the incredible success of the Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Campaign benefiting Hospice Simcoe and RVH’s Birthing Unit.

About TIM HORTONS®:

In 1964, the first Tim Hortons® restaurant in Hamilton, Ontario opened its doors and Canadians have been ordering Tim Hortons iconic Original Blend coffee, Double-Double™ coffees, Donuts and Timbits® in the years since. Over the last 55 years, Tim Hortons has captured the hearts and taste buds of Canadians and has become synonymous with serving Canada’s favourite coffee. Tim Hortons is Canada’s largest restaurant chain operating in the quick service industry with nearly 4,000 restaurants across the country. More than a coffee and bake shop, Tim Hortons is part of the Canadian fabric and guests can enjoy hot and cold specialty beverages – including lattes, cappuccinos and espressos, teas and our famous Iced Capp® – alongside delicious breakfast, sandwiches, wraps, soups and more. Tim Hortons has more than 5,100 restaurants in Canada, the United States and around the world. For more information on Tim Hortons visit TimHortons.ca 

About RVH Foundation: 

RVH Foundation mobilizes community generosity to support the lifesaving work of RVH. Donor support makes world-class care possible, from state-of-the-art equipment, technology and ground-breaking programs to enhanced spaces, research and innovation. 

About Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH):

RVH is a regional health centre in Barrie, Ontario, located 80 kilometres north of Toronto. As the largest hospital in the region of Simcoe Muskoka, RVH’s team of over 450 physicians, 3,300 employees and 615 volunteers provides exceptional care and specialty services to almost half a million residents, including regional services such as: advanced cardiac, cancer, child & youth mental health, renal, stroke, orthopaedics, intensive care and interventional radiology. RVH is focused on delivering high-quality, safe care that puts patients and their families first. For more information visit rvh.on.ca

About Hospice Simcoe:

For the dying and the bereaved, Hospice Simcoe provides compassionate, expert care and services to ease the pain – before, during, and after their journey. We provide home visiting, residential care, and bereavement support. Our 10 private bedroom care home is located in Barrie and there is no cost for any of our services. Hospice Simcoe is a registered charity that relies on donations from the community for more than 50 per cent of our operating costs. For more information visit www.hospicesimcoe.ca 


Quotes

“We were thrilled last year to set a new Smile Cookie record by raising more than $12 million during the week-long campaign. And thanks to the dedication and passion of the Tim Hortons community, we were able to raise over $15 million this year! One hundred per cent of all proceeds are donated to local charities and community groups right in your neighbourhoods. I could not be prouder of what we’ve accomplished together with Tim Hortons restaurant owners, their team members and volunteers, and Tims guests. Our Smile Cookie campaign has grown from its humble roots as local fundraiser in Hamilton in 1996 into something incredibly special that touches so many lives.”

~ Axel Schwan, President of Tim Hortons

“We are so grateful to Barrie and Stroud Tim Hortons restaurant owners as well as our community, for supporting patient care and RVH and raising much needed funds for our Birthing Unit through the Tim Hortons Smile Cookie Campaign. These funds will play a vital role in RVH’s ability to continue giving its tiniest patients the best possible start, and to continue meeting the growing healthcare needs of our region.”

~ Pamela Ross, CEO, RVH Foundation. 

“We are very grateful to Tim Hortons and our community of Tim Hortons owners and staff. The funds raised in the Smile Cookie Campaign play a critical role in allowing us to provide bereavement support to anyone who has experienced a loss, and end-of-life care to those dying at Hospice.”

~ Kelly Hubbard, Executive Director, Hospice Simcoe


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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Hospice Simcoe Media Contact: Marilyn Guest
(705) 722-5995 ext. 245 | [email protected] 

RVH Interim Manager Corporate Communications:  Donna Danyluk
(705) 728-9090 ext. 41610  | [email protected] 

Tim Hortons Media inquiries
[email protected] 


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