Ernest and Evelyn Rady are writing yet another big check for San Diego. The longtime philanthropists have committed $75 million to Scripps Health, and Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla's North Tower will be renamed the Rady Tower. The move, announced yesterday, extends the family's long track record of backing local health care and cultural institutions.
Donation Details and Naming
According to Scripps Health, the $75 million commitment will support patient care and campus initiatives at the La Jolla hospital and formally ties the Rady name to the eight-floor inpatient building. Hospital officials said the gift will serve as a cornerstone for ongoing expansion at the campus.
What the North Tower Houses
The North Tower, which opened in June 2025, brought a major boost in high-acuity care to the La Jolla campus. It includes comprehensive mother-baby services, a Level III neonatal intensive care unit operated in partnership with Rady Children's, advanced operating rooms and private patient rooms, as reported by GlobeNewswire. The building also provides inpatient care for cancer, orthopedics, neurology, stroke and trauma.
Voices From Scripps
“Supporting the delivery of health care in the San Diego community has always been a priority for our family,” Ernest Rady said in the hospital's statement. “All of us at Scripps are grateful to Ernest and Evelyn Rady for their immense generosity and commitment to our community,” Scripps President and CEO Chris Van Gorder added, according to Scripps Health.
Rady Family Philanthropy
The Radys have been major donors across the region for decades, and this latest move fits a familiar pattern. In 2019, the couple pledged $200 million to Rady Children's Hospital to support a campus transformation, according to Rady Children’s Health. They also made a lead gift that helped create the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, per the San Diego Symphony's press materials.
Why It Matters
Scripps says the Rady Tower naming fits into a 25-year master plan first unveiled in 2010 that has guided earlier additions like the Prebys Cardiovascular Institute and the John R. Anderson V Medical Pavilion. Local outlets, including NBC 7 San Diego, have highlighted the announcement and noted the gift's role in expanding access to care across the region.
