Jordan Institute for Families
Michael and his wife,
Juanita
A Gift for Families
On October 1, 1996, basketball superstar Michael Jordan, accompanied by his mother, family advocate Deloris, his brother Larry, and his sister Rosyln, cut the ribbon for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Jordan Institute for Families. Part of the School of Social Work, the Institute is designed to strengthen families.
Michael Jordan, a 1986 UNC-CH graduate, committed $1 million--the largest gift ever to Carolina from an active professional athlete—-to support the work.
At the dedication ceremonies, Jordan explained why he chose to make this investment: "I feel very blessed and fortunate to have had a family structure which nurtured and provided a positive influence for myself and my siblings. Many young people today are overwhelmed by the pressures of life, struggling and trying to survive. I am supporting the Jordan Institute for Families because I believe that everything that can be done should be done to preserve the family and to improve the quality of life for all individuals, especially children and the elderly."
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Social Work
In 1920 the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill established the School of Social Work. Since its beginning the School has maintained a strong commitment to public service, with a special emphasis on helping families and communities.
Today, the UNC-CH School of Social Work is one of the preeminent schools of social work in the nation. It is currently ranked among the top five schools of social work at public universities.
Based on its committment to developing innovative and effective services, the school strives to integrate academic excellence and compassionate service. The School prepares students to solve our toughest social problems and to become leaders in all aspects of public service.
Finding Solutions
The Jordan Institute for Families strives to help solve the problems facing families--from inadequate day care for children and for older adults to drug abuse, teenage pregnancy, domestic violence, and poverty. To do this, the Institute brings together scholars and community leaders from organizations and campuses across North Carolina and the nation. Through collaborative efforts, they reach out to strengthen families, enabling them to achieve their dreams.
The Jordan Institute for Families delivers relevant, up-to-the-minute information through in-service training, newsletters, and reports. A key example of this is the Family Strengths Index, which measures the relative health of families every year.
A Happy First Birthday
The Institute's first year culminated in "Violence and Trauma in Childhood: A Risk and Resilience Perspective," an international conference on the impact of violence on children and families around the world. Many world-renowned experts came to the conference to discuss global efforts to strengthen families and protect children, including Lea Rabin, peacemaker and widow of the Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin, and Drs. Michael Rutter, James Garbarino, Debra Prothro-Stith.
Family advocate Deloris Jordan and
peacemaker Lea Rabin.
On September 20, Michael Jordan and his family traveled to North Carolina to celebrate the Jordan Institute's first birthday at the Dean Dome in Chapel Hill. In attendance were former Tar Heel greats James Worthy, Jerry Stackhouse, Mia Hamm, Phil Ford, Charlotte Smith, and many other Carolina coaches and former players. The event was also attended by members of the business community and society interested in supporting families, including Robert Ingram, CEO of Glaxo-Wellcome, Inc., the event's lead corporate sponsor.
Guests gathered for dinner, music, and to meet Michael, but the highlight of the evening was an auction of remarkable sports memoribilia. The funds raised at the event will aid the Jordan Institute for Families in its efforts to strengthen families.