For decades, Tim Hortons has played a prominent social role in Canada by investing in communities through a range of charitable programs. At the heart of these efforts is the Tim Hortons Foundation Camps initiative, established in 1974 to provide underprivileged youth (ages 12 to 16) with life-changing camp experiences completely free of charge. Through these multi-year camp programs, participants build confidence, leadership, and resilience while discovering their potential to succeed. Since its inception, the foundation’s camps have supported over 315,000 young Canadians from disadvantaged circumstances. To make this possible, Tim Hortons holds an annual Camp Day fundraiser when 100% of coffee sales across all restaurants are donated to the Foundation. Each Camp Day sees franchise owners and guests come together in a massive show of support – for example, in 2023 the campaign raised over $12.7 million in just 24 hours, contributing to a cumulative total of about $250 million raised since the tradition began. In recent years, the Foundation has also focused on breaking down barriers for marginalized youth: in 2022 it launched a five-year, $5 million partnership with the Justice Fund to expand programming for Black, Indigenous and other under-served youth in low-income communities, and it is working with Indigenous organizations to welcome more First Nations, Inuit and Métis teens to its camp programs across the country.
Alongside the camps, Tim Hortons fosters inclusion through grassroots sports. Since the 1980s, the company has sponsored the Timbits Sports Program, a community-based initiative that provides equipment, jerseys and support for kids aged four to eight to play on local hockey and soccer teams. The emphasis is on having fun, making friends and learning teamwork rather than competition. This program has opened the door for countless children to enjoy organized sports – in 2022 alone, over 300,000 kids took part in Timbits hockey or soccer leagues across Canada thanks to Tim Hortons’ support. By backing these recreational leagues, Tim Hortons helps children stay active and build self-confidence while bringing families and neighbors together at the rink or soccer field.
In addition to its youth programs, Tim Hortons engages the wider public in giving back through creative fundraising campaigns. One of the most iconic is the annual Smile Cookie initiative. Each year since 1996, for one week, Tim Hortons sells chocolate chunk cookies decorated with a smile, and 100% of the proceeds are donated to local charities, hospitals and community programs. Over the years this simple campaign has become a powerhouse of community fundraising: it has raised more than $151 million in total for over 600 local organizations across Canada. The campaign’s popularity keeps growing – in 2025, Canadians broke all previous records by purchasing enough Smile Cookies to raise $22.6 million in just one week. Tim Hortons also periodically introduces special menu items to support important causes. In 2021, after the heartbreaking discovery of unmarked graves at a former Indigenous residential school, Tim Hortons restaurant owners launched an Orange Sprinkle Donut fundraiser that collected roughly $1 million for Indigenous charities supporting residential school survivors. Similarly, to promote inclusion in sports, Tim Hortons partnered with Special Olympics Canada to sell a limited-edition #ChooseToInclude donut in early 2022, with all proceeds (about $600,000) going directly to Special Olympics programs – helping over 41,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities reach their potential in sport and life.
Through these myriad initiatives, Tim Hortons has become deeply woven into the social fabric of Canadian communities. Its franchise owners, team members and customers rally together year after year to empower young people, support those in need, and inspire volunteerism and generosity. From small towns to big cities, Tim Hortons’ community programs create lasting positive change – demonstrating that the company is not just a coffee shop, but a proud partner in building stronger, more caring communities nationwide.
