Youth in Kingston and the surrounding region facing mental health challenges are getting a much-needed boost, thanks to the overwhelming success of this year’s Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign. The 2025 initiative raised a record-breaking $230,108 in support of child and youth mental health programs at Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC).
From April 28 to May 4, local Tim Hortons restaurants donated every dollar from Smile Cookie sales—each one topped with its signature pink and blue icing—to help young people in the community access vital mental health supports. This year’s record-breaking campaign was slightly higher than 2023 when $230,085 was collected. This feat would not have been possible without every single Tim Hortons restaurant owner, team member and volunteer who collectively helped bake and hand-decorate thousands of cookies.
“This is more than just a fundraising campaign—it’s about showing up for our kids,” says Kingston Tim Hortons restaurant owner Sherri Agnew. “Our youth are dealing with pressures and struggles many of us never had to face, like digital stress and social media pressure. Supporting mental health services means giving them a chance to heal, grow and flourish. I’m so proud of our team and deeply thankful to our guests for coming together to support our community.”
The funds raised have a tangible impact. KHSC Mental Health and Addiction Care staff have been able to purchase therapeutic items like weighted blankets, art supplies, exercise bikes and therapy trampolines. It also helped fund renovations to the patient common area, outdoor terrace and patient storage room. These resources help young patients feel more at ease and support their emotional and physical well-being during treatment.
For more than two decades, Tim Hortons restaurants in Kingston have chosen to support KHSC through the Smile Cookie campaign, raising over $1.6 million and their commitment continues to make a lasting difference.
“We are profoundly grateful to Tim Hortons, their staff and every person who bought a Smile Cookie,” says Nicholas Axas, Program Operational Director of Mental Health and Addiction Care at KHSC. “These donations will help us provide essential supports to young people, empowering them to face life’s challenges and build stronger, healthier futures.”
With each bite of a cookie, the Kingston community is helping to create a promising future where every young person feels supported, understood and hopeful.