NBA legend and Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan has donated $7 million to open a clinic which guarantees health care for those who have little to no insurance.
According to CNN, the retired athlete appeared in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Thursday for the ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open the Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinic to the public.
Part of that donation has also gone towards a second medical facility which hasn't opened yet.
At the ribbon cutting ceremony, Jordan, 56, said being able to give back to a community which has "supported [him] over the years" has been a "very emotional" experience for him.
As he explained:
"It’s from the heart. 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 mum, about caring for other people and being a part of a community that matters."
The 6,800-square-foot clinic will offer typical primary and preventative care to its patients, as well as behavioral health and social support services.
The brand new facility features 12 exam rooms, an X-ray room and a physical therapy space. There will also be a full-time social worker on staff to provide patients with emotional support services.
In his official statement, Jordan said, "I feel very fortunate to be able to give back in this way, because I believe that your ZIP code or neighborhood should not determine the quality of your health care – or whether or not you can even get care at all.”
