St. Rose Dominican Health Foundation received a historic donation of $17 million — the largest single gift the hospital has received in 87 years.
The donation from Panda Express co-CEOs Andrew and Peggy Cherng allowed the nonprofit to purchase an existing building, now named the Cherng Family Medical Building, at St. Rose Dominican Hospital – Siena Campus, a hospital owned and operated by Dignity Health in Henderson.
“We help when we can, we help when there’s a need,” said Andrew Cherng, co-founder and CEO of Panda Restaurant Group. “Everybody has needs and anytime we can add to that, to make the hospital better for the community, that’s something we take on.”
The 88,000-square-foot, four-story facility will host ancillary services and medical offices, expanding the Siena Campus to 636,000 square feet. Plans are still in the preliminary stages, but Chad Warren, president and chief philanthropy officer at St. Rose Dominican Health Foundation, said he hopes to refurbish the building to expand cancer, trauma and pediatrics services.
“This really speaks volumes to Peggy and Andrew investing in us as the nonprofit hospital in town,” Warren said. “We hope that this is going to be the catalyst to inspire others to also lean in and want to support our ministry.”
The building has existed on the Siena Campus since its construction in 2000, but was owned by Ventas, a real estate investment trust which acquires and manages health care properties. Previously, St. Rose Dominican was renting around 25,000 square feet of the building, but the donation allowed them to purchase the entire building from the company.
“It makes it so the hospital has total control over the hospital,” said Cherng. “It’s already been totally committed (the donation), so it is just to help complete it (the campus).”
The Cherngs are Henderson residents and have been longtime supporters of St. Rose Dominican through Panda’s partnership with Children’s Miracle Network and by attending galas and sponsoring their events.
Nationally, the Cherngs have donated around $400 million over the last few decades towards the health care space. In 2023, they made a $100 million donation to City of Hope to establish a national integrative oncology program.
“One of our values is giving, it is very important that we practice,” said Cherng.