The international icon revealed an additional $1 million donation from her other businesses and the Dollywood Foundation.
Dolly Parton; Photo by Andrew Wendowski
As she often does, Dolly Parton is stepping up to support those in need after a natural disaster. During a Friday press conference with Walmart, Parton announced she will personally donate $1 million from her own bank account, along with an additional $1 million from the Dollywood Foundation and other partners, to assist in Hurricane Helene relief efforts.
“I’m sure a lot of you wondering where I’ve been. Everybody’s saying, ‘Where’s Dolly?’ Well, I’ve been like everybody else trying to absorb everything going on, trying to figure out all the best ways to do this,” Parton, 78, shared from the stage, which was set up in the parking lot of a Walmart in Newport, Tennessee.
She reflected on the disaster that stuck parts of East Tennessee, North Carolina, and beyond before revealing her charitable contributions.
Photo Courtesy of Dolly Parton
“We all have seen the devastation. I mean, who knew in our little part of the country here where I was born, raised, just right down the road that we would have this kind of devastation,” she pointed out. “I look around and I think these are my mountains, these are my valleys, these are my rivers flowing like a stream. These are my people. These are mountain colored rainbows. These are my people and this is my home.”
“I really think that this is a time for me to step up again for all of us to step up and do what we can. And of course, today I wanted to announce that from myself personally, just from my own bank account, I’m donating a million dollars.”
Later, she revealed an additional donation of $1 million from her East Tennessee businesses—Dollywood Parks & Resorts, Dolly Parton’s Stampede, and Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show—as well as The Dollywood Foundation.
This combined $2 million will be donated to the Mountain Ways Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) dedicated to providing immediate assistance to Hurricane Helene flood victims.
At the event, Walmart U.S. President and CEO John Furner announced that the company, along with Sam’s Club and the Walmart Foundation, would be increasing their support by pledging a total of $10 million towards hurricane relief efforts across the impacted states.
“One of the things we love most about Dolly as a partner is her incredible heart and care for her community,” Furner stated. “She reminds me of our associates who are always the first to jump to action when our communities need us. This time is no different, and we will continue to provide support until they have recovered.”
Dolly Parton; Photo by Stacie Huckeba
Dollywood, in partnership with Coca-Cola, has already contributed a semi-truck full of water to aid distribution in Cocke County, Tennessee. Additionally, Dollywood has donated 60,000 reusable masks, 30,000 disposable protective garments, and 2.5 million disposable masks to support cleanup efforts throughout East Tennessee. They’ve also provided disposable serving ware and utensils for thousands of meals served by Mountain Ways.
In collaboration with donation centers set up by the city of Pigeon Forge, Dollywood will also serve as a donation drop-off location for cleanup supplies. Needed items include buckets with lids, tarps, shovels, rakes, trash bags, work gloves, cleaning supplies, diapers, baby food, personal hygiene products, first aid items, new socks and underwear, towels, blankets, pet food, and more. Donations can be dropped off at the designated area near the park’s front gate.
