Tim Hortons fundraiser helping local families during ‘important time’

Sweet treats won’t just satisfy tastebuds, it’ll also go to a charitable cause.

Tim Hortons and Steinbach Family Resource Centre are partnering for the first time for the Smile Cookie campaign. When a customer purchases the specialty cookie, $1 will go directly to the Steinbach Family Resource Centre.

“We’re very, very grateful and excited to be the recipient for this year,” said Jo-Anne Dalton, the non-profit’s executive director.

Steinbach Famiy Resource Centre, located on 101 N Front Dr., offers parenting classes, donated clothing and school supplies, among many other programs.

Dalton said the cookies will be decorated and delivered by local volunteers and she’s still recruiting the help. She said pre-orders for the cookies are open until Nov.16 on the non-profit’s website where people can order directly online.

She describes the non-profit as a “small fish” in Steinbach and it typically doesn’t garner much attention for the work it does.

“With the attention and the partnership of a big organization like this, we’re really excited about what that can offer for the reach of our organization, just to be able to share a little bit more of the message of what we’re doing here at the resource center and how we’re supporting families,” she said.

Many families face challenges finding support during the “isolating years” of early childhood and pregnancy, Dalton said. Having the fundraiser will be crucial in helping run and grow the programs offered to families when addressing their needs, she said.

“Buying a cookie is such an easy way to say ‘You know what? I support all families in our community,’” Dalton told The Carillon.

All three Tim Hortons branches in Steinbach will be selling the cookies from Nov. 17 to 23. Each cookie costs $2, with the other dollar going to Tim Hortons summer camps.