Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Orange has announced a $53 million donation from an Orange County, California, couple who wish to remain anonymous.

The second largest gift in the history of the Providence health system will be used to establish an endowment fund to enable the hospital to direct funds to service lines and areas of highest community need. With 52 hospitals, Providence is the third-largest not-for-profit health system in the United States.

“We hope that this investment in the future of St. Joseph Hospital will be a significant source of inspiration and pride and reinforces the value our community sees in the lifesaving care provided at our hospital each and every day,” said Providence St. Joseph Hospital CEO Jeremy Zoch.

“We're blessed to have such charitable benefactors living in our community,” said Amy Daugherty, chief philanthropy officer of Providence St. Joseph Hospital. “These donors should take great pride in knowing that this contribution will touch tens of thousands of lives for the foreseeable future.”

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Ridofranz)