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Jordan Brand Donates $500,000 to Boys and Girls Club in Louisiana
Jordan Brand, a division of Nike, Inc., announced today a donation of $500,000 to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Louisiana's Slidell Unit,to help build a new athletic gymnasium. Basketball legend, Michael Jordan and All-Stars Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul joined more than 250 community leadersand New Orleans-area youth for the official dedication and check presentation ceremony. The donation will go towards the construction of a state-of-the-artgymnasium named after Jordan Brand complete with a professional basketball court, scoreboard and bleachers to be used by the kids of the Boys & Girls Cluband other related community events. "On behalf of the people of Slidell and the parish of St. Tammany Parish, we'd like to thank the Jordan Brand fortheir generous contribution," said Johnny DiBartolo, president, Boys & Girls Club of Southeast Louisiana. "With significant donations frompartners like Jordan Brand, we are confident that the Slidell Boys and Girls Club will help our children continue to grow, learn, develop and improve theirlives and surroundings." The Slidell Boys & Girls Club was one of 16 Gulf region Boys & Girls Clubs damaged in Hurricane Katrina. The location wascompletely gutted and the facilities were in ruins. The rebuilding of the facility serves as a testament to the dedication of many contributions and countlessvolunteer hours to restore it in honor of the Boys & Girls Club. The Jordan Brand gymnasium will serve as a brick-and-mortar reminder of the contributionsand volunteer hours spent rebuilding the facility that has helped and will continue improve the lives of children and families of Slidell. "The Boys andGirls Clubs of America has been a visible contributor to the families and children of New Orleans, during and post Hurricane Katrina," said MichaelJordan. "Slidell is a community that has been somewhat overlooked in recovery efforts and we are proud to aid with its rebuilding and leave a lastinglegacy for the community." Michael Jordan and some Team Jordan athletes have a special connection to the Boys and Girls Club of America as some were oncemembers and now continue to be involved with the organization in their respective hometowns and communities. Jordan Brand believes that physical activity playsa vital role in building character in youth, and the donation is dedicated to the children of the greater New Orleans area to inspire them to commit themselvesto hard work in life and athletics in order to achieve their dreamed goals. In 2006, Jordan Brand donated $450,000 to Habitat for Humanity to aid in therebuilding efforts in Louisiana. By auctioning off 21 pairs of Michael Jordan autographed AIR JORDAN shoes to raise the funds, the money helped rebuild homesin the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans. About Jordan Brand A division of NIKE, Inc., Jordan Brand is a premium brand of footwear, apparel and accessoriesinspired by the dynamic legacy, vision and direct involvement of Michael Jordan. The Jordan Brand made its debut in 1997 and has grown into a completecollection of performance and lifestyle products for both men and women. The Jordan Brand remains active in the community by donating a portion of its proceedsto Jordan Fundamentals, an education grants program for teachers. For more information on the Jordan Brand, visit www.Jumpman23.com. About Boys & GirlsClubs of America Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) comprises a national network of more than 4,000 neighborhood-based facilities, with 4.8million youth served through Club membership and community outreach, in all 50 states and on U.S. military bases worldwide. Known as "The Positive Placefor Kids," Clubs provide guidance-oriented character development programs on a daily basis for children 6-18 years old, conducted by a full-timeprofessional staff. Key Boys & Girls Club programs emphasize leadership development, education and career exploration, financial literacy, health and lifeskills, the arts, sports, fitness and recreation, and family outreach. An estimated 30 million American youth have been served by Boys & Girls Clubs sincethe founding of BGCA in 1906. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. For more information on the Slidell Boys & Girls Club, visithttp://www.bgcsela.org/.