For the second year in a row, Autism Ontario South Region was selected by Tim Horton’s owners to partner in its Smile Cookie campaign, which ran from April 28th – May 4th, 2025, with a share of the proceeds going to Autism Ontario’s Niagara Region location summer camp. 

“The 2025 Smile Cookie campaign raised $86,373.66 with $43,186.83 directed to our annual summer camp,” says Janine O'Brien, Fund and Volunteer Coordinator at Autism Ontario. 

The funds raised through this annual campaign allow people to attend camp who might not have been able to participate otherwise due to financial barriers. “By raising as much money as we can, we can keep the registration fees for our families as low as possible,” says Janine. “We’re grateful for opportunities like this.”

This year, all 17 Tim Horton’s locations in Niagara Falls supported Autism Ontario South Region and Pathstones Mental Health — another local charity in the Niagara Region — through their cookie sale profits. “For two dollars, you can buy a cookie, and all of those proceeds go to charity,” Janine says. 

“No cookie is like the other,” Janine says, “which is a lot like the autistic individuals and their families we support.” Volunteers will decorate the cookies, continues Janine, with the result that no two cookies are the same. The beautiful thing, she says, is that the cookies people buy will have been decorated by Autism Ontario’s families and supporters.

The Smile Cookie campaign was ably supported by an Autism Ontario social media campaign that ran during the sale week. A post by Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati showing him decorating cookies at a local Tim Horton’s and highlighting his support for Pathstones “and our friends at Autism Ontario South Region” received many views, further driving interest and awareness. 

This year marks the 25th anniversary of Autism Ontario South Region’s summer camp, which runs for seven weeks during the summer months, where autistic children, youth, and adults will attend. "Like last year,” comments Janine, “all the funds raised will go back to our summer camp."