NBA Hall of Famer and Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan has announced that he's making a multimillion-dollar investment in Friends of the Children, a nationwide nonprofit organization that "breaks the cycle of generational poverty."
According to the Portland Business Journal, MJ provided the following statement about his donation, which comes from the payout he received for the ESPN Films and Netflix documentary series, "The Last Dance."
"What stood out to me about Friends of the Children was that they employ and train their mentors and that they commit to every child for 12-and-a-half years. That dedication is important to me. My mentors believed in me and taught me the power of perseverance. I want youth in Friends of the Children to see that they have that same potential."
The exact size of the "investment" wasn't disclosed, but Friends of the Children leaders said MJ's multi-million dollar investment would take it "over the finish line for an aggressive fundraising campaign: raising $25 million in less than three years." According to KGW, the group now plans to add enough salaried professional mentors who serve thousands of youths from kindergarten through high school, approximately 12-and-a-half years.
Additionally, MJ's donation will back Friends' national expansion campaign and its work in Charlotte and Chicago. The group hopes to expand to 25 cities by 2025.