Jordan donates $2M of his ‘Last Dance’ proceeds to food banks
Food banks in the Carolinas and Chicago are the richer for “The Last Dance,” thanks to a $2 million donation from Michael Jordan that is the latest charitable contribution from a man who has, in the past, been criticized for not doing more.
“In these challenging times and in a year of unimaginable difficulty due to covid-19, it’s more important than ever to pause and give thanks,” Jordan said in a statement on the day before Thanksgiving. “I am proud to be donating additional proceeds from ‘The Last Dance’ to Feeding America and its member food banks in the Carolinas and Chicago to help feed America’s hungry.”
Forbes estimated that Jordan had received $3 million to $4 million for his participation in “The Last Dance,” ESPN’s awardwinning, 10-part documentary on his final season with
the Chicago Bulls. He previously announced that he would donate all of his earnings from the program to Friends of the Children, a mentorship nonprofit dedicated to breaking the cycle of generational poverty.
Jordan has been especially benevolent over the last few months. In June, after the death of George Floyd, he pledged $100 million over the next 10 years to “organi
zations dedicated to ensuring racial equality, social justice and greater access to education” in conjunction with his Jordan Brand.
The announcement of that donation came five days after he released a statement condemning the death of George Floyd. A white Minneapolis police officer had pressed his knee against the back of the Black man’s neck for nearly nine minutes.