Local leaders announce probable locations for Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinics

NEW HANOVER COUNTY (WWAY) — By this time in 2023, Wilmington could have two new Novant Health Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinics on 15th and Greenfield, and Fanning Street.

Earlier this year, hometown hero Michael Jordan made a $10 million contribution to healthcare in Wilmington.

According to Mayor Bill Saffo, “In partnership with Novant Health, with the county, and with the city, this is something we have needed for quite sometime.”

And now, local leaders are taking the next step, voting to donate two parcels of land to Novant to the new Michael Jordan Family Medical Clinics. According to Dr. Philip Brown, they’ll employ more men and women in the community and provide equal healthcare for all.

“And they’re geared toward serving people who maybe traditionally haven’t been served too well,” said Brown. “Areas where maybe the population is heavily uninsured or have Medicaid.”

Brown said they’ve made it a goal to help those without healthcare or homes by opening a day shelter and resource center on campus. That homeless shelter will focus on mental health and rehabilitation.

“We’ve been talking about it for years,” said county commissioner Julia Olson-Boseman. “So we’re really excited we have Novant who was going to partner with us, and the foundation, and that we’re actually going to do something about homelessness.”
According to Hollis Briggs, the homeless project’s consultant, “Because the homeless population has almost doubled in Wilmington within the last 5 years.”

Brown said location was everything when developing these plans. Officials wanted the clinic to be more accessible to underserved populations. The site is across the street from Houston Moore, the Wilmington Housing Authority, The Good Shepherd Center, food bank, and New Hanover County Health and Human Services.

“All these resources are very close together,” Brown explained. “This is the place those citizens come, and we just happen to be right on a bus line on Greenfield street. So we believe the access in this particular location is incredibly good and will serve the people well.”

New Hanover County Commissioners will vote to donate the land on 15th and Greenfield July 13. Wilmington will vote July 20 to donate the Fanning street parcel.