Providence Foundations of Oregon (PFO)—the combined philanthropic arm of Providence Health & Services (PHS), a nonprofit Catholic health system in Portland—has announced commitments totaling $177 million to expand the health system’s emergency and critical cardiac care services.

The funding includes $92 million to improve emergency services and expand capacity at PFO’s affiliated medical centers, Providence St. Vincent and Providence Portland, providing room for an additional 50,000 emergency department visits each year. In addition, $85 million will be used to expand critical cardiac care facilities and establish a new cardiac intensive care unit at Providence St. Vincent.

The funds were awarded as part of the largest capital campaign in PFO’s history, which raised more than $144 million from members of the community including $125 million from the Zidell Family Foundation as well as donations from the JTMF and Chiles foundations, Tim and Mary Boyle, the Lematta family, Pat Reser and Bill Westphal, Mark and Mary Stevens, and Andy and Nancy Bryant, who also served as co-chairs to raise funds for the Providence St. Vincent emergency department.

“The fact that our community is rallying around this campaign is truly inspiring to all of us who work on the front lines providing care,” said PHS regional director of emergency services Jeremy Lynn. “We got into this work so we could help people on their worst day. We are excited to do that in updated and expanded spaces that will allow us to provide better, faster care for more people.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/SDI Productions)