Michael Jordan, renowned for his monumental impact on basketball, also dedicates significant efforts to philanthropy, often overshadowed by his athletic legacy. Since 1989, the NBA icon has collaborated with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, demonstrating his commitment to granting wishes for children in need. Notably, he made headlines with a record-setting donation on his 60th birthday, a testament to his charitable spirit. A significant influence in his life is his mother, Deloris Jordan, who has her own legacy of humanitarian work, including contributions both domestically and internationally.
In his home state of North Carolina, Michael Jordan has partnered with the Novant Health Foundation. This collaboration focuses on providing medical assistance to uninsured and underinsured residents. On November 18, 2025, he announced a generous $10 million donation to the foundation in honor of his mother. Two months later, the Novant Health recognized Deloris by renaming its neurosciences institute in her honor. The dedication ceremony was attended by over 100 guests, who celebrated Deloris’s impactful contributions to the community. Expressing her gratitude, she said, “Wow,” encapsulating the emotion of the moment and later reiterated, “When you’ve got good people with good hearts, there’s no stopping you.”
Dr. Jeffrey Beecher, director of neurosciences at the facility, highlighted the positive outcomes from the partnership, stating that they have saved over 1,000 lives from strokes in just three years, which is more than 95% of institutions in the country. The newly named Deloris P. Jordan Neurosciences Institute aims to provide advanced care for patients facing Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, and other complex neurological conditions.
Deloris Jordan’s philanthropic efforts extend beyond the borders of the United States. In November 2023, she was in Dayton, Ohio, advocating for sickle cell anemia awareness in memory of her late husband. Furthermore, she has made a substantial impact in Kenya, where the Jordans established a gender-based violence recovery center through the Kenya Women and Children’s Wellness Centre (KWCWC). Funded by the James R. Jordan Foundation International, this center is the largest in Kenya, equipped with over 33 consultation rooms and laboratories dedicated to supporting survivors of gender-based violence.
The facility doesn’t just offer medical services but also provides essential legal support, vocational training, financial literacy, and mental health assistance, aiming to empower survivors. Deloris has been a vocal advocate in Kenya for over 16 years, emphasizing the well-being of women and children, a mission that continues to inspire hope and change for many. This ongoing commitment illustrates how the Jordan family’s influence extends beyond the basketball court, genuinely impacting lives around the world.