Billionaire Michael Jordan Donates Record-Breaking $10 Million to Make-A-Wish Foundation Jordan has been involved with the organization for many years, with his first "wish" to a child occurring in 1989.
By Emily Rella
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Michael Jordan has broken yet another record, except this one has nothing to do with his legendary basketball career.
In honor of his 60th birthday, the athlete donated an astounding $10 million to the nonprofit Make-A-Wish Foundation, marking the largest donation ever made by an individual donor to the organization in its 43-year history.
"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," Jordan said in a press release. "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 has been involved with the organization for a long time —the first "wish" he granted was in 1989.
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According to Make-A-Wish, he is one of the most requested celebrity wish granters of all time. In 2008, Jordan was even named "Chief Wish Ambassador" as a result of all of his contributions to the organization over the years.
"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," said Make-A-Wish America CEO and President Leslie Motter in a statement. "We hope that the public will be inspired to follow in his footsteps by helping make wishes come true."
Though Jordan amassed wealth during his NBA career, the majority of his earnings have come from his ownership stake in the NBA's Charlotte Hornets franchise and lucrative loyalties earned from Nike Jordan products (an estimated $60 million a year) amid other endorsements.
Jordan's net worth is an estimated $2.2 billion.
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