Michael Jordan donates $2M to Hurricane Florence victims

Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Basketball icon Michael Jordan donated $2 million to help victims of Hurricane Florence.

The Charlotte Hornets announced the move by the franchise's chairman on Tuesday. Jordan is sending $1 million to the American Red Cross and another $1 million to the Foundation For The Carolinas' Hurricane Florence Response Fund.

More than 100 members of the Hornets organization plan to help pack disaster food boxes on Friday at Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina. Those boxes will be shipped to Wilmington, N.C., Fayetteville, N.C., and Myrtle Beach, S.C., and sent to people who the storm has directly affected. The organization plans to pack 5,000 boxes.

Jordan, 55, made more than $93 million in salary during his NBA career. Forbes reported in March that Jordan's net worth jumped from $350 million to $1.65 million in a 12-month span.

"It's truly devastating for me to see the damage that Hurricane Florence is doing to my beloved home state of North Carolina and to the surrounding areas," Jordan said in a statement last week.

"The recovery effort will be massive, and it will take a long time to repair the damage and for families to get back on their feet. Together with the NBA, we have launched a platform to aid those most impacted. Please join me, the Hornets organization and the NBA and donate to one of the local organizations assisting in the relief and recovery efforts. To all those affected, stay safe and know that we're here to help."

The death toll from Hurricane Florence has climbed to at least 32 people, with the storm claiming its first lives on Friday. Forecasters say it could take two weeks for the floodwaters to recede in the area. Hundreds of thousands of homes are still without electricity.