Irving Oil’s Fuel the Care program bridges the distance between home and hospital for more than 40,000 New England families
NEW ENGLAND – For more than 20 years, Irving Oil’s Fuel the Care program has been making a difference for families requiring travel to access medical care for a child.
Through its network of partner hospitals, Fuel the Care has provided fuel gift cards to more than 40,000 families in the New England region.
Across the energy company’s operations in New England, Atlantic Canada and Ireland, the program has supported more than 120,000 families since 2002, providing more than $6.8 million in fuel gift cards to help ease the financial strain on families – allowing them to focus on their child’s well-being.
The company’s business operations in New England date back to 1972, and includes marine terminals along the eastern coast, as well as hundreds of retail locations to serve valued customers.
“We are extremely thankful for the continued support of our loyal customers in all of our geographic markets who help us to Fuel the Care for thousands of families each year,” says Irving Oil President & CEO Jeff Matthews. “Fuel the Care wouldn’t be possible without the amazing support of our dedicated employees, who year after year champion this program in the regions where we operate.”
This year, Tufts Medical Center in Boston, MA, celebrates 10 years with Fuel the Care. In 2024, Tufts experienced the highest program service demand of all Irving Oil partner hospitals, with 1,945 families supported.
“Thanks to the incredible generosity of Irving Oil, so many of our patients can focus on supporting loved ones and healing instead of the stress of getting to their next appointment,” says Terry Hudson-Jinks, Chief Nursing Officer, Chief Experience Officer and Senior Vice President of Patient Care Services at Tufts Medical Center.
Born two months prematurely, Julia Carvalho spent her first two weeks in the NICU of Tufts Children's Hospital. The Carvalho family was soon to become familiar with the two-hour drive from Cape Cod — first to be by her side as she received vital care by the hospital team, then for follow-up visits that continue today for the now two-year-old.
“We just wanted her to be healthy and home,” says Danieli, Julia’s mother.
While the drives have been long and stressful, support from the Fuel the Care program helped ease the burden.
“Having that support made a real difference,” Danieli says, adding “it took one stress away from our many long travel days.”
Through Fuel the Care, the Kirby family of Maine was able to help offset the cost of travel after two-year-old Elliott required emergency surgery. Northern Light Health doctors found a tumor behind his eye and diagnosed him with advanced retinoblastoma.
"One day, he's fine. The next day, he's on his way for life-saving surgery," says his mom, Elena, recalling the four-hour drive to Boston.
Other New England partner hospitals include Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth, NH, and Massachusetts General Brigham for Children in Boston, MA. Since becoming a program partner in 2003, more than 9,000 families at Children’s Hospital have benefitted from Fuel the Care. Since 2006, more than 4,500 families visiting Northern Light Health received fuel gift cards. Joining in 2023, Massachusetts General Brigham for Children is the most recent partner hospital in the region.
“Irving’s Fuel the Care program allows many parents to spend time with their babies in our Intensive Care Nursery than they would not otherwise be able to afford,” says Zoë Frechette, Pediatric Social Worker at the Intensive Care Nursery for Children's Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.
“I recently mailed a fuel card to a mother who wouldn’t have been able to make the drive to the hospital to see her baby that week. Thanks to the Fuel the Care program, she and so many other parents can focus on precious moments with their babies instead of worrying about the cost of travel, especially during long hospital stays far from home.”
Irving Oil and partner hospitals will celebrate Fuel the Care Day on Thursday, September 25, with employees at select retail sites in the U.S., Canada and Ireland, thanking customers for supporting the program by choosing Irving Oil. Every time a customer visits an Irving Oil location, chooses Irving Energy to heat their home or enjoys a homestyle meal at an Irving Big Stop Restaurant, they help to support the Fuel the Care program.
Customers can also support Fuel the Care directly, by using dedicated “Care Pumps” that have been set up at select retail locations. Four cents from every gallon purchased at the Fuel the Care Pump at The Irving in Pembroke, MA, is donated to Tufts Medical Center to support families traveling to receive medical care for their child.
Fuel the Care partner hospitals:
• Maine: Northern Light Health
• New Hampshire: The Children's Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center
• Massachusetts: Tufts Medical Center, Mass General Brigham for Children
• Nova Scotia: The IWK Health Centre
• Newfoundland & Labrador: Janeway Child Health and Rehabilitation Centre
• New Brunswick: Saint John Regional Hospital
• Quebec: Centre mère-enfant Soleil du CHU de Québec-Université Laval
• Ireland: Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin, Children’s Health Ireland at Temple Street, Children’s Health Ireland at Tallaght, Children’s Health Ireland at Connolly.
For more information, visit Irving Oil on Facebook or Instagram or visit fuelthecare.com.
About Irving Oil:
Irving Oil is a privately held international energy company. For more than 100 years, our commitment to doing good business has been grounded in our commitment to people – to our employees, customers, communities and partners. Founded in 1924, our mission is focused on our continued evolution to meet the changing needs of our customers. Specializing in the refining and marketing of finished energy products, we operate Canada’s largest refinery in Saint John, New Brunswick, and Ireland’s only refinery located in the village of Whitegate. We proudly serve customers with more than 1,000 fueling locations and a network of distribution terminals spanning Eastern Canada, New England and in Ireland, operating under the Top brand. Named one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers for nine consecutive years, we are proud of our team and our longstanding commitment to our customers and our communities. Learn more at www.irvingoil.com.
Media contact:
Katherine d’Entremont
[email protected]
506.654.7162