By the time the doors open at the food bank at 9 a. m. ET, people are already waiting outside. That early line is part of daily life for the Inn of the Good Shepherd, and this week the mood around the charity is shaped by smile cookies — the spring fundraiser now sending every local dollar from sales in Sarnia and Bright’s Grove back to the organization.
The proceeds from chocolate chunk cookies decorated with a pink smile will go to the Inn through Sunday, giving a boost to a charity that serves people across the community and is feeling pressure from rising demand and falling donations.
What does the Smile Cookies campaign mean for the Inn of the Good Shepherd?
For the Inn, the campaign is both a fundraiser and a public reminder of how many households are relying on its services. Jack Christine, executive director of the Inn of the Good Shepherd, said the organization was “very fortunate to be chosen. ” He pointed to the last time the charity was selected, in 2023, when the campaign raised just over $71, 000.
“We’re looking at hopefully beating that this year, ” Christine said.
The campaign covers Tim Hortons locations in Sarnia and Bright’s Grove, and it includes more than cookies. Smile cookie plushies are available, donations can be made at the locations, and bulk cookie orders are also being offered. Christine called it “a great community fundraiser for us. ”
Why is demand growing at the Inn right now?
The financial support matters because the Inn is carrying a heavier load. It operates a foodbank, soup kitchen, shelters and other services for people in need, and Christine said the organization is seeing both more demand and fewer donations.
“The Sarnia community is great, and I know they’re helping us as much as they can, but we’ve seen a drop in food donations, a drop in financial donations, ” he said.
Christine described arriving before 8 a. m. ET and finding people already in line for the foodbank, which opens an hour later. For those waiting, the goal is simple: to get enough food on the table for the next couple of weeks. The Inn serves more than 2, 000 individuals a month, a figure that shows how many people now depend on its day-to-day work.
This is where smile cookies become more than a seasonal treat. The fundraiser lands in a moment when the charity is trying to keep pace with basic needs while sustaining multiple front-line services at once.
How is the Inn showing accountability to the public?
Alongside the fundraiser, the Inn has recently been accredited through Food Banks Canada’s standards of excellence program. Christine described it as a national set of food bank standards that covers all areas of food bank operations.
“It gives us a baseline to be accountable for the standard of service we’re providing to our clients, ” he said. “It’s also giving us the opportunity to look at how can we improve. ”
The accreditation work began before Christine’s hiring in late 2025, after the retirement of previous executive director Myles Vanni. The program, created in 2024 by Food Banks Canada, includes more than 80 standards covering governance and administration, as well as food operations.
For the organization, the certificate is more than a document on a wall. Christine said it can be displayed for the public as proof that the Inn is meeting national standards and being accountable for the services it provides.
What does this fundraiser say about the community?
The campaign’s value is not only in dollars collected but in what it reveals about the relationship between a local charity and the people around it. Christine said staff and volunteers have put significant effort into reaching this point, and the accreditation is a reflection of that work.
“It’s a good reflection, as well, for all my staff and volunteers because I know they put a lot of effort into us achieving this, ” he said. “I’ve very proud of them. ”
As the week continues, the hope is that the pink-smiled cookies will draw steady support and help the Inn keep pace with the needs it sees every morning. The line outside the food bank may form before 8 a. m. ET, but this week it is joined by a different kind of queue: people reaching for smile cookies in a campaign that is tied directly to food, shelter and the daily reality of need in Sarnia.
