Buy a coffee, help raise millions for underprivileged kids this Camp Day

Tim Hortons Camp Day on Bayfield Street in Barrie, Ont. on Wed., July 13, 2022. (CTV News/Steve Mansbridge)

The morning ritual for millions of Canadians of picking up their coffee took on an extra meaning Wednesday.

Tim Hortons franchises across the country are celebrating Camp Day. Franchisees will donate 100 per cent of the proceeds from the sale of any hot drink, iced coffee or Tim's Take 12 towards the Tim Hortons Foundation Camps.

"I've got two little girls at home, and we're blessed to be able to send them to camp if they so choose, but we all know in communities all across this country, there are many youths that would never have that opportunity," said Johnny Mizzoni, the franchisee of a store on Bayfield Street in Barrie. "So the importance of making sure that every single one of them has that opportunity. That's our goal."

The Tim Hortons Foundation Camps provide a one-of-a-kind camping experience to underprivileged youth between the age of 12 to 16.

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There are seven camps available, with six here in Canada, all providing activities including hiking, biking and rock climbing.

But the camps also work towards character development, teaching the youth valuable life lessons, including courage, confidence and perseverance.

"They learn, and they grow on these things every year," said Mizzoni, who added that Camp Day is one of his favourites of the year. "They go back into their communities; they go back into their schools, their families, and hopefully it empowers them to open doors themselves, more doors; they may have more opportunities in life as a result."

The camps are 10-days and provide a multi-year experience. Campers can work towards one day being a councillor themselves.

Throughout the years, over 300,000 young teenagers have attended the camps.

"Those of us who have children or of course know children of that age, it's such an important stage of their life and to give families the ability to have those youth attend a camp and a camp experience of that level, it's something they are never going to forget for the rest of their life. I can guarantee that," concluded Mizzoni.