Philanthropists Tad and Dianne Taube on Monday committed $20 million to help offset the costs of the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford's new "Main" building and support the continued construction of other parts of the facility.

"We believe that it's important to invest in the children of today, because they are our citizens and leaders of the next generation," Tad Taube, chair of Taube Philanthropies, said in a press release.

In honor of the donation, the building south tower has been renamed the "Tad and Dianne Taube Pavilion," which is equipped with operating rooms, imaging suites and intensive care units. The Taubes' most recent contribution will support the continued design, construction and purchase of equipment for the Children's Hospital Main building, which will add 149 patient beds for a total of 361. The hospital began accepting patients last December after a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the opening.

Dedicated spaces for cancer and heart programs are being created on the hospital's first and fifth floors, and the hospital's surgery center, scheduled to open later this year, will feature six state-of-the-art operating suites, bringing the hospital's total to 13. The hospital's West building will also expand its center for expectant mothers and babies.

The Taubes have funded several other initiatives in recent months which address the treatment and prevention of addiction during adolescence; advance education, care and research to protect children from concussions; and support interdisciplinary research on pediatric neurodegenerative diseases.

"This commitment to Packard Children's Hospital aligns with our priority of providing the best resources for health care for the youth in our greater community," Dianne Taube said in a press release.

The contribution brings the couple's total gifts to the Children's Hospital and the child health programs at Stanford University School of Medicine to more than $35 million. The Taubes now rank among the top five individual donors in the hospital's 26-year history.

"We planned every detail in our new hospital to provide the best care for children," Dennis Lund, interim president and CEO, and chief medical officer, of the hospital and Stanford Children's Health, said in a press release. "We are honored that Tad and Dianne Taube chose to make a difference in the lives of our patients and families through their visionary investments."

The couple head Taube Philanthropies, which has supported educational, research, cultural, community and youth organizations in the Bay Area, Poland and Israel for more than 30 years. The organization was founded by Tad Taube in 1981.

A total $265 million in philanthropic support helped construct the new building and its surrounding 3.5 acres of gardens and green space.

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