July 5, 2023
Pictured Above (Left to Right): Lisa Bahre, Owner of Sisters Oil Services; Jenna Bush; Lisa White; Maggie Bahre; and Nikki Rivard
Sisters Oil Service’s penny-per-gallon program has provided nearly $100K to Hartford HealthCare breast cancer patients and programs
When Lisa Bahre’s husband Dan came up with the idea of starting an oil delivery company, Lisa was up for the challenge…but with one condition.
“I said if we’re going to start a business, we need a cause to support,” shares Lisa. “My sister and our good friend are both breast cancer survivors, so we decided that we were going to donate a penny for each gallon of oil we sell to support breast cancer patients.”
With a business plan and philanthropic mission in place, Sisters Oil Service in Canton made their first oil delivery using their distinct pink-colored trucks in March of 2012. Named after the Bahre’s three daughters—one of whom is now a nurse at Hartford Hospital—Sisters Oil has since donated nearly $100,000 to support breast cancer programs and patients at both Hartford Hospital and Charlotte Hungerford Hospital through their penny-per-gallon program.
“I have daughters, my sisters have daughters—so it was a no-brainer to support breast cancer,” adds Lisa. “For us, it was the right time and the right cause. We have a large family, so my sister had a huge support system when she was sick. But when you go through that, you also think about the other patients who don’t have a support system or family—and that’s why we decided to give.”
Lisa says that connecting their customers to their philanthropic mission has been a successful and rewarding experience for both her family and employees.
“Many customers share their own connections to cancer with us,” shares Nikki Rivard, an employee of Sisters Oil Service. “A number of them are survivors themselves and they want to support us. My family has been affected by breast cancer; all of my mom’s sisters have had breast cancer and I lost my father to cancer 6 years ago, so I love being able to help our team fulfill this mission.”
“We couldn’t do this without our customers,” adds Lisa. “One customer told me that we not only warm her home, we also warm her heart—and it makes me so happy that we have been able to do this, that we’re doing something good.”
Donations from Sisters Oil have been used to support Hartford HealthCare’s “Take the Time” mobile mammography unit, which brings convenient, accessible screenings to locations across Connecticut. The program reaches women who would otherwise not have access to mammography services—including those without insurance—and provides a private, comfortable space for screenings. The Sisters Oil penny-per-gallon program also supports the Charlotte Hungerford Hospital Pink Rose Fund, which provides women in northwest Connecticut with comprehensive, coordinated access to breast cancer and women’s health services, programs and screenings.
“Every penny helps, you don’t have to give a lot,” shares Lisa. “We had no idea how big this was going to get, but we are so happy to know that we are helping local families and also pleased with how the hospitals keep us informed on how the donations are being used.”
“We are so grateful for the support Sisters Oil Service has provided to cancer patients in their service area over the last decade,” said Debbie Bender, Senior Philanthropic Officer at Charlotte Hungerford Hospital. “Connecting your customers or clients to a philanthropic mission allows you to support a cause you believe in while building a tighter, stronger, and healthier community. In this case, Lisa and her colleagues have made it easier for local women to identify breast cancer in its earliest, most treatable stages.”
If your business is interested in connecting customers to your philanthropic support of Hartford HealthCare, contact a member of our Philanthropy Team to learn more.