The Vancouver Sun Children's Fund has received a generous donation of $60,300 from the recent Tim Hortons Smile Cookie campaign. The funds were raised through the sale of cookies at seven participating restaurants, with four located in Surrey and three in Maple Ridge. Tens of thousands of cookies were sold at $2 each, with all proceeds directed to the fund's Adopt-A-School program.
Supporting Students in Need
The money will be allocated to L.A. Matheson Secondary in Surrey, Thomas Haney Secondary in Maple Ridge, and several elementary schools in proximity to these high schools. The funds will be used to assist impoverished students with essential needs.
Gillian Shaw, vice chair of The Vancouver Sun Children's Fund board that administers Adopt-A-School, expressed gratitude to Tim Hortons staff for their dedication to helping underprivileged students. "It's really a great thing you have done for your communities," Shaw remarked during the cheque presentation at the Sunnyside Tim Hortons location.
Community Involvement
The cookies were baked daily at the restaurants, and community volunteers, including members of the fire department, Maple Ridge RCMP officers, and students from Thomas Haney School, participated in decorating them. Rachael Stenkowski, general manager of the Maple Ridge restaurants, noted that they sold 7,199 cookies, averaging over 1,000 per day.
Surrey school board chair Gary Tymoschuk expressed deep appreciation for the efforts of the seven Tim Hortons restaurants. "It's going to help a lot," Tymoschuk said. "It is another example of the greater community supporting us and helping our kids who face barriers and challenges as they go through life. We are deeply grateful to all those people who organized this campaign and supported it."
About the Campaign
The Smile Cookie campaign is a national twice-yearly fundraising initiative by Tim Hortons that raises millions for local charities. This year's campaign ran from April 27 to May 3. The seven restaurants are co-owned by Barj Dhahan, a longtime supporter of Adopt-A-School, and Gurtek Shoker. The amount raised exceeded expectations, with Dhahan previously hoping to raise between $60,000 and $70,000 from both campaigns in 2026. The second campaign is scheduled for November.
This year, The Vancouver Sun's Adopt-A-School program distributed $2.3 million to hundreds of schools across the province to feed, clothe, and support hungry and impoverished students. Since its inception in 2013, the program has provided over $17.5 million in aid to B.C. schools.
How to Donate
- Online: Donate with a credit card at www.vansunkidsfund.ca
- Phone: To pay by credit card, call 604-813-8673
