Michael Jordan’s heart is as big as his legacy.
It was recently announced that the all-star made a record-setting donation of $10 million to Make-A-Wish America in honor of his 60th birthday on Feb. 17 marking the the largest from an individual in the organization’s 43-year history.
Although he’s supported the organization for more than 30 years, he’s aiming to inspire others to do and give more in honor of his 60th birthday.
The organization’s mission to help realize wishes for children with critical illnesses has been changing lives for decades.
“For the past 34 years, it’s been an honor to partner with Make-A-Wish and help bring a smile and happiness to so many kids,” said Michael Jordan in a statement. “Witnessing their strength and resilience during such a tough time in their lives has truly been an inspiration. I can’t think of a better birthday gift than seeing others join me in supporting Make-A-Wish so that every child can experience the magic of having their wish come true.”
Jordan’s relationship with Make-A-Wish reaches back 1989 when he granted his first wish, and since then hundreds of others have followed. In 2008, he was named Make-A-Wish Chief Wish Ambassador.
“Everyone knows about Michael’s legacy on the basketball court, but it’s what he has consistently done off the court when no one’s watching that makes him a true legend for wish families and the wider Make-A-Wish community,” said Leslie Motter, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America. “Michael using his birthday as a chance to make history for Make-A-Wish speaks to the quality of his character and his loyal dedication to making life better for children with critical illnesses. We hope that the public will be inspired to follow in his footsteps by helping make wishes come true.”
This follows the legend’s streak of significant social impact moves in celebration of his 60th birthday.
As previously reported by ESSENCE, Jordan allocated $2.3M in community grants to grassroots organizations dedicated to supporting Black people. The community grantees includes 43 new organizations, along with a re-investment in five organizations that were awarded grants in 2021, including 1Hood Media, Mortar Cincinnati, Love Now Media, Revolution Workshop, and Good Call NYC.