Hurricane Florence ravaged North Carolina ever since making landfall over the weekend. At least 17 are dead, and Moody's Analytics estimates there's at least $17 billion in damage as flooding continues to make the cleanup dangerous and difficult. Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan is using his considerable capital to help. The team says the Hall of Famer is donating $2 million to groups aiding in relief and recovery:
That money will be split up between the American Red Cross and the Foundation For The Carolinas' Hurricane Florence Response Fund.Â
Jordan spent his childhood in Wilmington, North Carolina, a coastal city that was affected by Hurricane Florence. The retired athlete said that as soon as he saw the devastation caused by the storm, he couldn't help but to take action.Â
"Wilmington truly is my home. Kept thinking about all those places I grew up going to,” Jordan told the Charlotte Observer. "And the deaths—it was so sad about the babies (that died, including one in Gaston County). You don’t want to see any of that anywhere, but when it’s home, that’s tough to swallow."
He continued: "People need to understand this will not be a week-long process. This is going to have a huge disruption on people’s lives - not for 10 days, but for years."
Despite being the first athlete to join the three comma club, Jordan isn't known for philanthropy. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has criticized him in the past for a stance he calls "commerce over conscience" and MJ has also been conspicuously mute about the violence indirectly caused by his high-end kicks. However, it's not like he's a penny-pinching Scrooge, hoarding his millions.Â
Hopefully, his timely donation to the state where he grew up and played college basketball helps in the rebuild efforts. Although you aren't a global sports and sneaker icon like MJ, you can also donate to the American Red Cross or the Carolinas' Hurricane Florence Response Fund.
