The thoughtful 58-year-old reportedly opened up a clinic for the less fortunate in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on November 18, 2021. It has since been updated.
When you hear the word celebrity, words like success, money, and fame come to mind. It's easy for these stars to let success get to their head but out of them, the real gems are those who remain true to their roots. They are humble, kind, and generous enough to give back to the community that uplifted them in the past. Six-time NBA champion, Michael Jordan, belongs to the rare group of people who possesses these impressive traits. Despite being famous and rich, the basketball legend did not forget the people who he grew up with, in his hometown. The thoughtful 58-year-old reportedly opened up a clinic for the less fortunate in Charlotte, North Carolina.
"This is a very emotional thing for me to be able to give back to a community that has supported me over the years," expressed the star during the inaugural ceremony which was held on 17 October 2019, per the Guardian. During his speech, Jordan noted that the 7-million-dollar Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic is his way of showing his gratitude towards the community that supported him throughout his career. "It's ... from the heart— a passion from what this city, this state has given back to me. I can never repay what you have given to me. But this is a start," explained the athlete turned business mogul.
"I’ve gone off and made my life in Illinois and other places. But I know where it all begins. And I don’t need my mother to constantly remind me about that. I can only give in gratitude for what I can never repay," he added. Next, he went on to thank every single person who worked with him to make the clinic a reality. "I stand here before you as a proud parent, son, obviously a member of this community. You see my name, but yet you see a lot of people behind me and the commitment, especially from my mom, about caring for other people and being a part of a community that matters," he continued.
The hospital was finally completed in 2019 but Jordan donated $7 million to get the center started in 2017. Having been a long-time resident of the state, the star simply wanted to help the struggling residents of the area by providing them with better medical facilities. The center, which is located in a lower-income section of the city, is said to cater to the needs of uninsured or under-insured folks. Per Daily Mail, many people have already benefited from the health care clinic. But Jordan didn't stop there, he build a second medical clinic in October last year.
"To see how this has evolved over the last year is to gratifying. It makes me want to continue doing more so that we can keep answering the bell when the bell is ringing," said the generous sportsman about the opening of the clinic, according to CNN. His first clinic opened just in time for the pandemic as it served as a Covid-19 screening and testing site and provided more than 13,000 tests around that time. "When we came together to mark the first clinic's opening last fall, no one could have predicted we would be facing a global pandemic just five months later. I'm so proud of the positive impact our clinic has had on the community so far, especially during COVID-19, Jordan said in a statement.
Over the years, the NBA star has won over our hearts with his philanthropic efforts. One time, while he was still a player, he donated the salary of an entire season to 9/11 related charity groups. He also donated $2 million towards Hurricane Florence relief efforts. Maybe that's why he is the chairman of the Charlotte Hornets Foundation, which aims at strengthening the area of Charlotte through charity contributions.
References:
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/oct/18/michael-jordan-medical-clinic-underinsured-donation
https://www.charlotteobserver.com/sports/charlotte-hornets/article236330023.html
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/10/22/us/michael-jordan-second-clinic-charlotte/index.html
https://www.nba.com/article/2019/02/15/jordan-week-michael-jordan-philanthropy
Cover image source: Getty | Photo by Chip Somodevilla
