J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines’ 10-year partnership with the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) has helped to provide more than 6,500 mammograms for women in need and is still going strong, with $3 from each sale of a limited-run wine supporting the charity.
Called Touching Lives, the decade-old nationwide campaign is also promoting fundraisers, the production of NBCF HOPE Kits, and the use of social media to share stories.
In all, the partnership with NBCF aims to raise breast cancer awareness through early detection, and programs that guide patients through healthcare tangles to ensure timely diagnosis, treatment, and support.
“We are proud to partner with the Lohr family,” Kevin Hail, NBCF president and chief operating officer, said in a news release. “They have been an extremely dedicated partner that has made a significant and tangible impact in the lives of thousands of women over the past 10 years. Through the commitment of companies like J. Lohr, NBCF is able to greatly expand its support of the health and wellness of individuals and communities across the country.”
The Touching Lives initiative began when the Lohr family designated its Carol’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon a commemorative release in honor of Carol Waldorf Lohr, the wife of the company’s founder Jerry Lohr, who died in 2008 from complications of breast cancer.
Including sales made at restaurants, wine shops or online, the family-run company donates $3 from each purchase of Carol Lohr’s eponymous wine, produced at the family’s 35-acre Carol’s Vineyard in St. Helena, California, to the NBCF. The vintage is described as expressing coffee with elements of red and blue fruit, hazelnut and cocoa powder.
“Our deeply personal story has galvanized many of our distributors, accounts and consumers across the nation, of their own accord, to take a proactive role in championing breast cancer awareness,” said Cynthia Lohr, a family member, J. Lohr co-owner, and trade and brand advocate.
“Though October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the momentum of this year-round program benefits all participants and, most importantly, the one out of every eight women who will receive a breast cancer diagnosis over the course of her lifetime.”
The Lohr family also encourages people to host HOPE Kit Packing Parties. After fundraising goals are met, hosts receive HOPE Kit supplies — including herbal tea, unscented lotion, lip balm, fuzzy socks, tumbler, an inspirational bracelet and HOPE Journal — for the packing party. They later hand-deliver the kits to a local hospital’s breast care department. More information is available here.
The Lohr family also asks individuals to share stories of Touching Lives support on Facebook and Instagram, tagging the Vineyards and NBCF with @JLohrWines and @NBCF, and using the hashtag #HelpingWomenNow.
Founded more than 40 years ago, the family-owned and -operated vineyards produces a range of wines across 4,000 acres in Monterey County, Paso Robles, and St. Helena.
The NBCF provides early detection, education and support services to those touched by breast cancer, and supports research programs.