$50 million donated to Children's Hospital LA

LOS ANGELES (FOX 11) - Children's Hospital Los Angeles received a $50 million gift from the Anderson Stewart Family Foundation Wednesday.

"As philanthropists, the Anderson family is steadfastly devoted to improving the lives of others. Their years of support and leadership helped Children's Hospital Los Angeles save hundreds of thousands of lives,'' said CHLA President and CEO Paul S. Viviano.

"Today, we are honored and humbled to receive this new gift that will continue their legacy of creating a better future for the children of this world.''

The family's foundation is now the greatest single benefactor in the history of the hospital. In 2011, the Andersons gave CHLA $50 million to complete construction of a state-of-the-art hospital building, which was named the Marion and John E. Anderson Pavilion in recognition of the contribution.

In the years since, CHLA's total patient visits have risen from 393,000 a year to nearly 568,000, which includes nearly 100,000 visits to an emergency department originally constructed to handle 65,000, according to a hospital statement, that say the Anderson family's latest donation will support "efforts to ensure that all CHLA patients have access to the critical, lifesaving care they need; and that CHLA doctors, researchers, nurses and other caregivers are equipped with the appropriate resources to provide that care.''

The Andersons' daughter, Judy Munzig, who chairs the family foundation, said her mother "often said it was she who should be thanking Children's Hospital Los Angeles, that her life was transformed for the better as a result of her years of involvement at CHLA. She loved meeting the children at the hospital and always believed the patients and families deserved the spotlight for their courage and resilience.''

Marion Anderson served as a CHLA board trustee from 1989 until her death in 2017, including co-chairing the board from 1999 to 2012.