Pink Hampton Jitney Hits the Road for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Supporting Ellen Hermanson Foundation

For the third year, the East End bus company is partnering with the Ellen Hermanson Foundation, bringing its message of accessible breast cancer care from Montauk to Manhattan.

You can’t miss this Hampton Jitney.

Wrapped from end to end in bright pink, one of the East End’s most recognizable buses is hitting the road throughout October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, carrying a message that goes well beyond its usual passengers.

For the third consecutive year, Hampton Jitney has partnered with the Ellen Hermanson Foundation, the East End nonprofit dedicated to improving access to breast cancer screening, treatment and support services.

The specially wrapped Ambassador coach will travel seven days a week between New York City and the East End, serving as a rolling billboard for the foundation and the Ellen Hermanson Breast Center at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital. QR codes displayed on the sides of the bus direct passengers and passersby to information about the foundation’s work.

“We’re very happy to support an organization whose mission we believe in so deeply,” said Geoff Lynch, president of Hampton Jitney.

For Hampton Jitney, which has transported passengers between New York City and the Hamptons for more than 50 years and also serves the North Fork, the partnership brings a local cause to a much wider audience.

A Family Legacy That Changed Breast Cancer Care on the East End

Behind the pink bus is a deeply personal story that began over three decades ago.

In 1996, Julie Ratner and her sister Emily Levin organized the first Ellen’s Run in memory of their younger sister, Ellen Hermanson, a journalist and breast cancer advocate who died of the disease in 1995 at age 42.

What began as a tribute has grown into one of the East End’s most enduring breast health organizations, with Ratner, the foundation’s founder and board chair, helping lead its mission for three decades.

“After 31 years of championing women’s health on the East End, you can imagine my gratitude and pride in seeing The Ellen Hermanson Foundation’s pink Ambassador drive by, reminding people from Montauk to Manhattan about the vital importance of early screening. We are so grateful to Geoff and The Hampton Jitney for this partnership,” Ratner said.

Through the Ellen Hermanson Breast Center at Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, the foundation helps provide breast cancer screenings, diagnostic services and treatment. No patient is turned away because of a lack of insurance or an inability to pay.

The foundation also supports Ellen’s Well, which provides counseling, wellness programs and emotional support for breast cancer patients, survivors and their families. Its community partnerships help reach medically underserved women across the East End.

From Ellen’s Run to the Summer Gala

The foundation is also a familiar presence on the Hamptons summer calendar.

Its annual Summer Gala brings supporters together to raise money for local breast health services, while Ellen’s Run, held each August in Southampton, draws hundreds of runners, walkers, cancer survivors and families.

The 31st annual Ellen’s Run took place Aug. 16, 2026, attracting more than 700 participants. Proceeds from the foundation’s fundraising efforts support the breast center, Ellen’s Well and community outreach programs.

For Mady Schuman, the foundation’s executive director, the pink Jitney offers another opportunity to remind people that breast cancer care and support are available close to home.

“Awareness saves lives by ensuring no woman feels alone and everyone knows accessible care is nearby,” Schuman said. “Seeing this pink bus on the highway again is a powerful symbol of what community collaboration can accomplish. We are deeply grateful to Geoff and the Hampton Jitney team.”

And throughout October, that message will be hard to miss, whether you’re heading east for the weekend or returning to the city.

For more information, visit ellenhermanson.org.