She supported the University of Southern California School of Music, the USC/Norris comprehensive cancer center, and the Library Foundation of Los Angeles.
She partnered with Plácido Domingo, the company's general director, to establish the Domingo-Thornton Young Artist Program.
"Identifying and encouraging talented young artists with enormous potential is essential to the future of opera," Thornton said at the time.
Her contribution helped organize a scholarship fund to the Music Academy of the West in Montecito.
She established the Flora L. Thornton Foundation,[7] which supports philanthropic programs which help make local-world communities a better place to live.