For generations, families across the South Bay have relied on Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance in moments that matter the most. From heart attacks and strokes to unexpected injuries and urgent illness, the emergency department is often where care begins and where every minute counts. Today, that need is growing — not because the quality of care is lacking, but because more people across the South Bay continue to turn to Providence Little Company of Mary for the compassionate, high-touch emergency care that has long defined the medical center.

Each year, nearly 70,000 patients come through the Torrance emergency department — a space originally designed for a much smaller community. As the South Bay’s population continues to rise, the demand for fast, high-quality emergency care has grown alongside it.

To meet that need, Providence Little Company of Mary is embarking on a transformative expansion, increasing the Torrance Emergency Department to nearly twice its current size. Designed with direct input from caregivers, physicians and the community, the project will build upon an already exceptional foundation of care — creating more space, improving efficiency and enhancing the patient experience while preserving the compassion and personal connection that set Providence Little Company of Mary apart.

This project represents far more than an expansion of space. It is ensuring that the South Bay community continues to have access to exceptional emergency care close to home, today and for decades to come. And already, the community is stepping forward in remarkable ways to help make it possible.

A group of visionary supporters has helped launch the effort with early leadership gifts, including Janine and John Colich; Kathie Eckert; Carolyn and Julian Elliott; Andrew and Lorena Ellis; Deborah and Patrick Greene; Amy and Steve Hogan; Jim and Joanne Hunter; Maureen and Stanley Moore Family Foundation; Barbara and Mark Paullin; Marilyn Purnell; and Ginny and Kent Shoji, M.D., along with a significant philanthropic commitment from the Torrance Emergency Specialist Physicians Medical Associates. Together, these founding donors are helping set the pace for what is becoming a community-wide effort to strengthen emergency care for the South Bay. Their generosity reflects a shared belief that access to exceptional emergency medicine is one of the most vital resources a community can have — especially when minutes matter most. As the campaign continues to build momentum, additional opportunities remain for others to join as founding supporters of this transformational project.

Support for the project is also coming from individuals whose connections to Providence Little Company of Mary run deep — including former patients, longtime supporters and caregivers whose experiences with the medical center have inspired them to give back. Many have seen firsthand the compassion, expertise and teamwork that define emergency care at Providence Little Company of Mary and are helping ensure that same level of care continues for future generations.

Stories like these are unfolding across the community. Some donors are stepping forward with transformative leadership gifts. Others are giving in ways that reflect their own experiences with the medical center. 

Together, they are helping build something larger than any single contribution.

As the vision for the reimagined emergency department continues to take shape, one thing is already clear: this project belongs to the community it will serve. And thanks to the generosity of donors across the South Bay, the future of emergency care at Providence Little Company of Mary is already beginning to take form — expanding access to lifesaving care for thousands of patients in our community.