Michael Jordan's Mom on a Mission

Dan Wooding : Jun 11, 2008
ASSIST News

"You can have all the things, but they leave you—education is yours. People can take from you but they cannot take that away from you. If you want a gift, that's a gift; and it's a way out of poverty."

(Chicago, IL)—"Deloris Jordan is best known as the mother of Michael Jordan, basketball's greatest player. She is on a mission to help at risk kids through education." So wrote Charlene Israel in a story for CBN News
"I truly believe that without an education you are on the back end. You do not get the opportunities; the doors do close in your face, and the glass ceiling comes around you. I do share that with them," said the famous Mom, who is a committed Christian. (Photo: CBN)

A Thankful Principal

Israel said, "She has adopted four of Chicago's poorest public schools, and delivers programs that inspire children and their families."

"I started working with some of the corporations saying this is a school that needs help," said Mrs. Jordan.

The CBN story said that a few years back, Victor Herbert Public School in Chicago, IL had major problems.

Jordan explained, "This school was on probation to be closed and I'm thinking, 'no it cannot be.' I was in shock when I learned that for 30 years they had not had a PTA, so I'm thinking, 'How can you not have a PTA for 30 years?'"

Today the school has a PTA and more.

"Kindergarten students at Victor Herbert Public School enjoy learning through state of the art technology donated by the James R. Jordan Foundation, which is named for Deloris Jordan's late husband," said Charlene Israel in her story.

Deloris Jordan's commitment to kids and education extends beyond the classroom, to the James R. Jordan Neighborhood Center.

Reed is of the Center. He explained to CBN News, "We offer a variety of programs, as you can see we offer gym activities, homework assistance, tutorial assistance, computer lab, arts and crafts, leadership programs, and we have a teen program, so we try to run the gamut as far as youth services."

Without the attention kids get from the center, they would be left to their own devices after school.

"A lot of them would be engaged in gang activity, pretty much all of the negative activities [are] associated with idle time—the after school time from 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm in which young people have nothing to do," said Executive Director Don Reed.

Mrs. Jordan agrees, which is why she stresses the importance of getting a good education.

She comments, "You can have all the things, but they leave you—education is yours. People can take from you but they cannot take that away from you. If you want a gift, that's a gift; and it's a way out of poverty."

A previous story on CBN said: The Jordans are a close family, with both parents and extended family choosing to support their children in their various endeavors. "Raising my five kids was truly a big-team effort," Deloris says.

Integral to the family's strength was their faith in God. Church attendance was mandatory, Deloris says, no matter what activities they participated in the evening before. "Church, like education, was one of those nonnegotiable priorities in the Jordan family," she says. "Regular weekly attendance wasn't merely expected of our children; it was required."

Life Goes On

After her husband's murder in 1993, Deloris realized her husband's killers were "two boys who didn't know love." She began to reach out and help other kids and their families. Deloris says there are three words that aren't spoken enough today: "I love you." She wants to remind parents to say these words to their children daily. In her work with "under-served" families, Deloris observed that "I love you" is not said nearly enough. "And more than anything," she says, "incorporate prayer into your family life."

Through the James R. Jordan Foundation, Deloris is able to encourage under-served youth to excel in their educational endeavors. To assist in making this possible, the Foundation builds strong networks of support for youth, helps parents get more involved in the educational life of their children, and implements programs through which they encourage youth to strive to do their best. Their mentoring program motivates young people to excel academically.

For more information on the James R. Jordan foundation, CLICK HERE.