The Kemptville Tim Horton Smile Cookie Campaign held in May was another outstanding event in support of youth mental health in North Grenville. On June 11, Ingrid Kohling and Jose Salvador, independent owners of the Kemptville Tim Horton’s franchises, presented a $17,502 cheque to the Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) Foundation Board Chair, Margret Norenberg and Joanne Mavis, CEO of the KDH Foundation. These funds will be directed to WAY - Wellness Access for Youth.
WAY is a collaborative between fifteen community partners which includes Kemptville District Hospital. It provides referrals and support to youth and young adults aged 12 to 25 years of age, and their families, in need of mental health and addictions services.
Another WAY community partner is Connect Youth.
Dan MacKinnon, a navigator for Connect Youth in Kemptville, shared how their agency “aims to reduce barriers for youth and connect them with services, including housing for temporarily homeless teens.”
Robyn Holmes, Executive Director of Connect Youth, explained that “Smile cookie funds are used to support services that facilitate access to mental health supports for children, youth and families in the North Grenville community. Examples of supported activities include youth engagement groups, mental health promotion activities, community service coordination, and more.”
Kohling, the franchisee Tim Horton’s owner at Kemptville Mall, said, “Smile Cookies are so much more than just cookies. The focus of our Smile Cookie Campaign is about raising awareness. Through much appreciated support from our Kemptville Community we can help educate and end the stigma surrounding mental health. Our much-loved Smile Cookie represents community love, compassion and acceptance.”
Holmes added, “The ongoing support of the Smile Cookie Campaign is invaluable to the WAY program, as it not only supports service delivery but also reiterates our community's commitment to accessible mental health services for all.”
For more information about WAY and its health partners, see Wellness Access for Youth - KDH.
For information about the Kemptville District Hospital Foundation and how to donate to the Crossroads CT Scanner Campaign, visit our campaign page.