The annual Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign is underway in Hanover, with funds from this year’s effort supporting local students through the Ontario Student Nutrition Program. The fundraiser, which runs from April 27 to May 3, 2026, marks the 30th anniversary of the national initiative, with all proceeds from cookie sales in Hanover going directly to help provide meals for children in Grey-Bruce schools.
To help kick off the week, Hanover Mayor Sue Paterson joined representatives from the Hanover Fire Department, the Hanover Police Service, and local franchise owner Corrina Allen to decorate cookies and raise awareness for the cause. The program, which currently supports over 18,000 students across 61 schools in the region, served more than 3.2 million meals and snacks during the 2024-2025 school year.
The Smile Cookie campaign has become a significant source of funding for community groups since it began in 1996, raising over $151 million nationally to date. In 2025, the campaign set a record by raising $22.6 million for more than 600 charities across Canada and the United States.
Residents in Hanover can participate in the fundraiser by purchasing a cookie at the town’s two locations, situated at 224 7th Avenue and 639 10th St. Local support for this initiative has been strong in previous years, with the community previously donating over $22,000 to the nutrition program through the campaign.
