Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

A brief history of Dolly’s extensive philanthropy: From vaccines to scholarships

A brief history of Dolly’s extensive philanthropy: From vaccines to scholarships

The singer is best known as a country music icon, but she’s also been working 9 to 5 to make other people’s lives worth living. Here’s a look back at her famed kindness over the years.

The universally beloved country music legend Dolly Parton has established herself as far more than a ‘dumb blonde’ for years - despite releasing a song with that title in 1967.

Parton has put her money where her mouth is, over and over again, to help those in need - often in the areas local to her and her upbringing. The Tennessee-born star is, after all, a country girl at heart.

The singer, 76, wasn’t always such a widely adored icon, however. Firstly, she wasn’t instantly successful. Well, not under her own name, at least. Parton first made it in the music industry as a songwriter for other people. But aged 21, she was invited on American country music singer Porter Wagoner’s weekly TV show, replacing Norma Jean.

It may seem hard to imagine now, but Parton was disliked at first. Some members of the audience even chanted Jean’s name at her, livid that she had replaced a fan favourite.

It didn’t take long for Parton to win viewers over, though, and then the rest of the world followed. She has become perhaps the biggest name to ever come out of country music, with 51 Grammy nominations under her belt and an estimated net worth of $350 million (£298.3 million).

Last month, she received the renowned Carnegie Medal of Philantrophy, often described as the ‘Nobel Prize for philanthrophy’, and only yesterday she proved again why she deserved it. Amazon founder and multi-billionaire Jeff Bezos gave the singer a $100 million (£85 million) prize through his Bezos Courage and Civility Award. This recognises leaders who “pursue solutions with courage and civility”.

Parton said she would “my best to do good things with this money”.

So how did her philantrophy begin and just how many millions has she given away over the years?


In 1988, Parton set up The Dollywood Foundation


Parton at a SiriusXM event in the Dollywood Dreamsong Theatre in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee on May 6, 2016


That’s right, Parton’s good deeds date back quite a while. In 1988, around the peak of her fame, Parton set up The Dollywood Foundation, named after the Tennessee theme park she bought in 1986 and renamed after herself (she may be gracious, but she also loves a good Dolly pun).

The foundation was initially aimed at helping children in the Sevier County region of Tennessee where Parton was born to achieve greater academic success. However, it’s since covered far more bases than that. Don’t worry, we’ll get to them later.


In 1989, she went one step further


After launching her foundation, Parton vowed to provide every high school student in Sevier County with a $500 (£426) scholarship to help them attend the nearby college.

She therefore set up “The Buddy Program”. This was a process which required a student and one friend to sign a contract agreeing that both of them had to graduate. If they succeeded, both students received $500.

As a result, according to The Dollywood Foundation the high school’s dropout rate declined from 35 per cent to just six per cent that year.


1995 brought books, books and more books


Parton meets young children at the Magna Science And Adventure Park in Rotherham, South Yorkshire on December 5, 2007


The success of The Dollywood Foundation led the programme to expand beyond the students of Sevier County. A new scheme was born: the Imagination Library. The initiative, which is still running, involves the posting of a book to each child enrolled in school from the year of their birth until kindergarten. This is to help encourage literacy from a young age. And here’s the kicker: it was inspired by Parton’s dad, Robert Lee, who couldn’t read.

The Imagination Library says 850,000 children are provided with books every month across the UK, US, Canada, Australia, and Republic of Ireland. That’s a whole lotta books.


And in 2000, more scholarships!


Following the fruitful Buddy Program, Parton decided to launch a new scholarship of $15,000 (£12,789) awarded to five high school graduates in Sevier County to help them attend college. The scholarship recieved more endorsements from elsewhere, and so The Dollywood Foundation was able to extend it to four other high schools in the area.


Next, she decided to open a hospital


By 2007, Parton had done her bit for literacy and college tuition, so she set her sights on building a new hospital for her hometown


By 2007 Parton had done her bit for literacy and college tuition, so she set her sights on building a new hospital for her hometown. The new Sevier County hospital was funded by a special concert, hosted by Parton and The Dollywood Foundation. Altogether, the joint causes managed to raise $1 million (£850,000) for the hospital. The women’s health and maternity ward, The Dolly Parton Birthing Unit, was named after Parton as a result.


Then, in 2016, she helped people recover from wildfires


Nine years later, Parton sprang into action during the Great Smoky Mountain Wildfires in Tennessee, which would become one of the largest natural disasters in the state’s history. Parton took part in a joint telethon, as well as her own, to crowdfund for survivors of the disaster. This raised over $9 million (£7.7 million). She distributed the money using her My People Fund, donating $1,000 a month for six months to families who lost their homes in the wildfires.

And, in typical benevolent fashion, she also established a separate scholarship for high school students who had lost their homes to help fund their college tuition.


In 2018, she brought butterflies to a children’s hospital


Parton at the Monroe Carell Jr. Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in 2017


In 2017, Parton donated $1 million to a children’s hospital in Vanderbilt, Nashville. The donation was in honour of her niece Hannah Dennison, who was treated for leukaemia at the hospital. Then, in 2018, Parton gave the hospital an even more personal gift: she opened a butterfly garden called the Hannah Dennison Butterfly Garden to entertain children.

Parton’s niece was successfully treated and discharged from hospital. Dennison is now 34 and she and Parton have revisited the hospital and butterfly garden together in recent years.


In 2020, she helped fund the Moderna vaccine


Just when you think this woman couldn’t get any better, she literally helped to save the world. Parton donated another million dollars to the Vanderbilt University Medical Centre in 2020 to help research potential vaccines at the height of the pandemic. It transpired that her donation had funded the critical early stages of development of the Moderna vaccine.

Parton had her own vaccine dose at the hospital in March 2021. She even encouraged other people to get theirs by performing a version of her hit sont Jolene, with the key lyrics changed to “Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, I'm begging of you please don't hesitate, Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine.”

You really can’t beat Dolly Parton.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Hungary Ranked Among the World’s Safest Travel Destinations for 2025
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Man Convicted of Fraud After Booking Over 120 Free Flights Posing as Flight Attendant
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Beata Thunberg Rebrands as Beata Ernman Amidst Sister's Activism Controversy
Hungarian Parliament Approves Citizenship Suspension Law
Prime Minister Orbán Criticizes EU's Ukraine Accession Plans
Hungarian Delicacies Introduced to Japanese Market
Hungary's Industrial Output Rises Amid Battery Sector Slump
President Sulyok Celebrates 15 Years of Hungarian Unity Efforts
Hungary's Szeleczki Shines at World Judo Championships
Visegrád Construction Trends Diverge as Hungary Lags
Hungary Hosts National Quantum Technology Workshop
Hungarian Animation Featured at Annecy Festival
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
UK and EU Reach New Economic Agreement
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
UK and EU Reach Agreement on Gibraltar's Schengen Integration
Israeli Finance Minister Imposes Banking Penalties on Palestinians
U.S. Inflation Rises to 2.4% in May Amid Trade Tensions
Trump's Policies Prompt Decline in Chinese Student Enrollment in U.S.
Global Oceans Near Record Temperatures as CO₂ Levels Climb
Trump Announces U.S.-China Trade Deal Covering Rare Earths
Smuggled U.S. Fuel Funds Mexican Cartels Amid Crackdown
Austrian School Shooting Leaves Nine Dead in Graz
Bezos's Lavish Venice Wedding Sparks Local Protests
Europe Prepares for Historic Lunar Rover Landing
Italian Parents Seek Therapy Amid Lengthy School Holidays
British Fishing Vessel Seized by France Fined €30,000
Dutch Government Collapses Amid Migration Policy Dispute
UK Commits to 3.5% GDP Defence Spending Under NATO Pressure
Germany Moves to Expedite Migrant Deportations
US Urges UK to Raise Defence Spending to 5% of GDP
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Low Turnout Jeopardizes Italy's Citizenship Reform Referendum
Transatlantic Interest Rate Divergence Widens as Trump Pressures Powell
EU Lawmaker Calls for Broader Exemptions in Supply Chain Legislation
France's Defense Spending Plans Threatened by High National Debt
European Small-Cap Stocks Outperform U.S. Rivals Amid Growth Revival
Switzerland Proposes $26 Billion Capital Increase for UBS
×