Smile Cookie Week is back to raise money for local children's charities.
Tim Horton's will donate 100 per cent of the proceeds from every smile cookie sold in Windsor-Essex as part of the annual fundraiser beginning Monday.
This year's campaign will support the Canadian Mental Health Association of Windsor-Essex County, as well as Autism Services Windsor.
Speaking on AM800's Morning Drive, CMHA communications director Kim Willis says they'll be doing a couple of things with the funds raised including allocating funds to a youth wellness hub.
"Essentially it's a very non-clinical setting," she explained. "Youth has a large say in where it will located, what programs and services will be offered and it has to be very youth driven. We look forward to developing this for our community."
There are also going to be funds earmarked to provide suicide prevention training for some of their secondary teachers.
"Both really, really exciting initiatives happening and I know Autism Services as well has great plans for the funds that they're going to be receiving too."
Willis says the youth wellness hub is part of an existing model already in Ontario.
"We're actually going to be the 14th site, and youth and families have told us for a long time that having all of the services located under one roof makes accessibility and navigation of the mental health system so much easier," Willis said.
Willis says they're planning to have a soft launch for the youth wellness hub this fall in a temporary location, while they look for a permanent home.
Smile Cookies will be available at Tim Horton's locations around Windsor until Sunday, September 19.