NBA legend Michael Jordan has used his wealth to open up a medical clinic for underprivileged children in his native Charlotte.
Wanting to give back to the community, this is the first of two clinics funded by the sporting legend, and it opened its doors to the public on Thursday. It will provide a lifeline to uninsured or underinsured residents in need of primary and preventive care.
The facility, which is located in West Charlotte, will be operated by Novant Health, who revealed on Twitter that Jordan had donated $7 million to bring the Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic to life.
"The money is not the issue to me. It's the commitment to be able to make a difference and make an impact to a community that in the future will make an impact to the city of Charlotte," said Jordan, Fox News reports.
"This is a very emotional thing for me to be able to give back to a community that has supported me over the years."
The basketball star added that the opening of this clinic was just the beginning, saying, "this is just the start of a battle of being able to touch as many people as we can."
"There are a lot of people living here who are low income, they don't have health insurance," resident Sharelle Blake, a patient at the clinic, told Fox 46. "There are children here who need the immunizations to go to school and they don't have insurance and they don't have a way."
"When you look at the growth in this area, in the next three to five years, we need triple the primary care that is needed today," Norvant Health Executive Vice President and Chief Consumer Officer Jesse Cureton told the station.
With Jordan's estimated wealth of $2 million, it's clear that his generosity has the potential to change the people of Charlotte's lives forever. This sum was garnered not only through his work on the court but through business partnerships with brands including Nike and the Pepsi-owned Gatorade and Hanes.
