The owners of Saskatoon’s Tim Horton’s restaurants have chosen the Saskatoon Public School’s Foundation and their Early Learning Equal Start program as the sole recipient of Tim’s Smile Cookie promotion next week.

Between September 19-25, 100 per cent of sales from the special Smile Cookies will help provide comprehensive literacy supports focusing on all kids in Saskatoon’s Public Schools, achieving the critical milestone of reading at a Grade 3 level in Grade 3. Saskatoon Public Schools says that 30 per cent of students will not achieve Grade 3 level literacy by Grade 3, a key milestone that serves to predict future success. They add that a child who cannot read by Grade 3 is four times less likely to graduate from high school and that every dollar invested in early years literacy initiatives, means the economy gains seven dollars. Last year, Tim Horton’s restaurants across Canada broke the previous Smile Cookie sales record by raising more than 12 million dollars for local charities, consisting of more than 600 local charities, hospitals and community programs reap the proceeds.