Holiday Smile Cookie campaign to benefit food banks in Windsor-Essex

A new campaign will benefit local food banks in Windsor-Essex.

Tim Hortons has selected the Windsor-Essex Food Bank Association as the recipient of the first-ever Holiday Smile Cookie campaign.

Tim Hortons and the WEFBA kicked off the holiday season with smiles and kindness at a location on Grand Marais Road West in South Windsor on Monday, with Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens and Windsor West MPP Lisa Gretzky on hand for the occasion.

100 per cent of the proceeds from the Holiday Smile Cookie campaign will go back into the community, and the food bank association will be the recipient of what is raised by the 52 Tim Hortons' across the region.

The Holiday Smile Cookie is a little different than the regular Smile Cookie, as it's a white chocolate chip sugar cookie that's infused with red and green sprinkles and adorned with a hand-decorated smile. 

June Muir, CEO of the UHC Hub of Opportunities and President of the Windsor Essex Food Bank Association, says they're incredibly grateful to Tim Hortons for this support at a time where it's desperately needed.

"All you have to do is drive through a Tim Hortons and order a Smile Cookie. If you have a large office and you want to pre-order cookies, that would be great too, because Tim Hortons is taking pre-orders. The cookies are selling for $1.50, and all you have to do is enjoy one, when you enjoy that cookie you're giving back to the community," she said.

Muir says they're pretty excited for this opportunity because of the need in the community, as they've already seen over 146,000 visits to the food bank during the first nine months of the year.

She says it's all the more important considering they're entering what will possibly be their busiest holiday season ever.

"This is why this is such a gift that the association feels they're getting. It's a great gift, and we cannot wait to spread the smiles and kindness throughout our community. With both the smiles on these cookies, and the smile on our clients face just knowing that they're going to have a turkey or something to enjoy during the holiday season."

Muir says they're really asking the community to support them through this campaign, because it doesn't take much to help and it will go a long way.

"We cannot wait to see the results, and I know Windsor is a very caring community. When I was in the Tim Hortons with Drew Dilkens and Lisa Gretzky people were coming in and buying cookies already, it was great to see. So we're just hoping that people will keep buying cookies," she said.

The campaign will run until November 19.

Funds raised through the campaign will benefit the Windsor-Essex Food Bank Association, at a time where officials say more and more people in the community are battling food insecurity, as well as local charities and community groups including Tim Hortons Foundation Camps.

(Photo Credit: Courtesy of Mackenzie Adams UHC- Hub of Opportunities)