NBA legend, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Michael Jordan is giving back in a big way to further help his hometown of Wilmington, NC improve its healthcare system.
According to a press release, Jordan has donated a generous $10 million to regional healthcare system Novant Health to aid in building two new medical clinics set to open in early 2022.
The purpose of these clinics will be to serve both uninsured or underinsured residents of New Hanover County.
Novant Health and Jordan have previously partnered to open two Michael Jordan Family Clinics in Charlotte, NC with a mission to bring comprehensive primary care to the area’s most vulnerable communities, a press release shares.
Now these additional medical clinics will help Novant Health bring its integrated care model to other rural and rural-adjacent communities in Jordan’s hometown.
“I am very proud to once again partner with Novant Health to expand the Family Clinic model to bring better access to critical medical services in my hometown,” said Jordan in a press statement. “Everyone should have access to quality health care, no matter where they live, or whether or not they have insurance. Wilmington holds a special place in my heart and it’s truly gratifying to be able to give back to the community that supported me throughout my life.”
The two Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Clinics in Charlotte to date have seen over 4,500 patients, and have been integral in providing critical COVID-19 response.
To date, Novant Health Foundation has received a total of $17 million in funds from Jordan solely dedicated to developing more clinics in North Carolina.
With more clinics in existence, Jordan and Novant Health can continue to expand its reach in underserved communities and help even more people.
“This pandemic has exacerbated health equity gaps across our state, making our efforts to close them even more emergent. We look forward to standing these clinics up as quickly as possible to ensure all members of the community have access to necessary medical care” said Carl Armato, president and CEO of Novant Health, in a statement. “We are so appreciative of Michael’s unwavering commitment to help us bring affordable care to our communities that need it most. It’s not only an investment in us as a partner, but it’s an investment in each and every person that our clinics can reach.”
According to Armato, Novant Health’s top priority had been to “improve health outcomes in southeastern North Carolina, with access to affordable care for all.”
He believes that with Jordan’s donation, the company and its partners will be able to make a bigger impact in its community and carry out its overall mission to elevate the health of those who need medical care at this time.
