Beautiful Virgin Islands

Monday, Aug 04, 2025

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.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
UK's Online Safety Law: A Front for Censorship
Nationwide Protests Erupt in Brazil Demanding Presidential Resignation
Parents Abandon Child at Barcelona Airport Over Passport Issue
Mystery Surrounds Death of Brazilian Woman with iPhones Glued to Her Body
Bus Driver Discovers Toddler Hidden in Suitcase in New Zealand
Switzerland Celebrates 734 Years of Independence Amid Global Changes
U.S. Opens Official Investigation into Former Trump Prosecutor Jack Smith
Leaked audio of Canada's new PM Mark Carney admitting the truth about the Net Zero agenda: "We're gonna make a lot of money off of this."
China Enforces Comprehensive Ban on Cryptocurrency Activities
Absolutely 100% Realistic EVO Series Doll by EXDOLL (Chinese Company) used mainly for carnal purposes
World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab: "In this new world, we must accept... total transparency. You have to get used to it. You have to behave accordingly. But if you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't be afraid."
Meet Mufti Hamid Patel, head of Office for Standards in Education in Pakistan
George Soros tells the World Economic Forum: "President Trump is a con man and the ultimate narcissist, who wants the world to revolve around him."
Hamas are STARVING the hostages.
Decline in Tourism in Majorca Amidst Ongoing Anti-Tourism Protests
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
Poland Begins Excavation at Dziemiany After New Clue to World War II‑Era Nazi Treasure
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Threatens Canada with Tariffs Over Palestinian State Recognition
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Trump Sues Murdoch in “Heavyweight Bout”: Lawsuit Over Alleged Epstein Letter Sets Stage for Courtroom Showdown
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
Trump Administration Finalizes Broad Tariff Increases on Global Trade Partners
J.K. Rowling Limits Public Engagements Citing Safety Fears
JD.com Launches €2.2 Billion Bid for German Electronics Retailer Ceconomy
Azerbaijan Proceeds with Plan to Legalise Casinos on Artificial Islands
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
×