Dolly Parton's Philanthropy

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Hi Everyone,

Dolly has been in the news recently for her Philanthropic Work and was honored with The Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy, which awards those whose sense of obligation to the public good is significant and sustained, as well as those who have created remarkable impact in their giving. That sounds spot on for Dolly Parton. She’s a generous giver and it’s well-known in some cases and in some cases less known. For example, in researching this article I’ve discovered she’s paid for many funerals of those in her wide circle, who could not afford them. In 2016 the wildfires in Gatlinburg caused major damage and loss of life. Dolly took charge, produced the Smoky Mountain Rise telethon, and raised millions of dollars to assist those who were impacted by the wildfires. Dolly has paid for bands’ instruments and uniforms in majority african-american schools. Dollywood pays for education for its employees. The Imagination Library, that Dolly created, mails books for free to children until their 5th birthday. She said in the 1980's that Dollywood itself, was a way to offer jobs and opportunities for those in her hometown - a way for her to give back. The articles below will go into more details. She really is an angel among us, an East Tennessee Treasure, for sure.

Fan Art - unknown

Below are two pieces of related press that I came across and wanted to share with you.

Resources for this article:

By The Associated Press
Published: Oct. 14, 2022 at 8:36 AM EDT

NEW YORK (AP) — Dolly Parton laughs at the idea that she is some sort of secret philanthropist.

Sure, social media sleuths did piece together this week that the country superstar had been quietly paying for the band uniforms of many Tennessee high schools for years. And yes, it did take decades for her to reveal that she used the songwriting royalties she earned from Whitney Houston’s version of “I Will Always Love You” to purchase a strip mall in Nashville in her honor and to support the surrounding Black neighborhood. Oh, and it did eventually come out that Parton had donated $1 million for research that helped create the Moderna vaccine for COVID-19.

“I don’t do it for attention,” she told The Associated Press in an interview, shortly before she received the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy at Gotham Hall in New York City Thursday night. “But look! I’m getting a lot of attention by doing it.”

In fact, Parton believes she gets too much attention for her philanthropic work – which ranges from promoting childhood literacy to supporting those affected by natural disasters and providing numerous college scholarships through her Dollywood Foundation.

“I get paid more attention than maybe some others that are doing more than me,” Parton said, adding that she hopes that attention inspires more people to help others.

In her Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy speech, Parton said she doesn’t really have a strategy for her donations.

“I just give from my heart,” she said. “I never know what I’m going to do or why I’m gonna do it. I just see a need and if I can fill it, then I will.”

One need Parton does focus on filling is fostering a love of reading in children. Her Imagination Library initiative sends a free book every month to children under five whose parents request them. Currently, Parton sends out about 2 million free books each month.

“This actually started because my father could not read and write and I saw how crippling that could be,” she said. “My dad was a very smart man. And I often wondered what he could have done had he been able to read and write. So that is the inspiration.”

That program continues to expand. And last month, the state of California partnered with Imagination Library to make the program available to the millions of children under five in the state.

“That is a big deal,” she said. “That’s a lot of children. And we’re so honored and proud to have all the communities that make that happen because I get a lot of glory for the work a whole lot of people are doing.”

Parton said she’ll accept that attention because it furthers the cause. “I’m proud to be the voice out there doing what I can to get more books into the hands of more children,” she said.

Eric Isaacs, president of the Carnegie Institution for Science and a member of the medal selection committee, said Parton is a “tremendous example” of someone who understands the importance of philanthropy.

“Everyone knows her music,” he said. “They might know Dollywood for entertainment, more broadly. But now they’re going to know her for her philanthropy, which I’m not sure they have before.”

If Parton didn’t make philanthropy a priority in her life, it could be difficult to balance it with all her other pursuits.

She released “Run, Rose, Run,” a best-selling novel co-written with James Patterson, in March. She filmed the holiday movie “Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas” with Willie Nelson, Miley Cyrus and Jimmy Fallon for NBC. And she will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on Nov. 5, alongside Eminem, Lionel Richie and Pat Benatar – an honor she initially declined, but then graciously accepted.

“I’m ready to rock,” she said, adding that she has already written a new song, especially for that ceremony in Los Angeles.

But Parton is also ready to expand her philanthropic work. This year, she launched the Care More initiative at her Dollywood Parks and Resorts, which gives employees a day off to volunteer at a nonprofit of their choice.

“I think it’s important for everyone to do their share to help their fellow man,” she said. “This world is so crazy. I don’t think we even know what we’re doing to each other and to this world.”
Parton says she hopes the day of service will let people realize that “when you help somebody, it helps them, but it can help you more.”

“That’s what we should do as human beings,” she said. “I never quite understood why we have to let religion and politics and things like that stand in the way of just being good human beings. I think it’s important from that standpoint just to feel like you’re doing your part, doing something decent and good and right.”

Copyright 2022 WVLT. All rights reserved.

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VOGUE: ‘I’m Not One to Hide Under the Covers’: Dolly Parton Talks Doing Good During Difficult Times
BY CHRISTIAN ALLAIRE
October 17, 2022

On Thursday night, the 2022 Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy was awarded to six people and organizations making the world a better place. At a special ceremony in New York City, recipients Dolly Parton, Manu Chandaria, Lyda Hill, Lynn Schusterman, Stacy Schusterman, and the World Central Kitchen were all acknowledged for their outstanding philanthropic efforts, targeting everything from poverty relief in Africa to health care infrastructure. In Parton’s case, the award reflected the good works of her Dollywood Foundation and Imagination Library, through which the superstar has distributed free books to children worldwide, increased college access, and even advanced medical research—famously playing a pivotal role in funding the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (she donated $1 million to its development).

Here, Parton speaks exclusively to Vogue about her philanthropy work, what accomplishments she’s the most proud of to date, and how she remains so positive.

Vogue: Congratulations on being a Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy honoree. How does it feel to receive that acknowledgment?

Dolly Parton: I feel very special being among those folks. I’m proud for what I’m being honored for—especially with the Imagination Library. It’s always nice to be recognized for what you do, although that’s not why you do it. Some people do, but that’s not why I do it! You take pride in it, but I take more pride in why I’m getting the award. We’ve done so many wonderful things through the Imagination Library; we’ve done great things for children in their young, impressionable years, so that they can learn to read and write.

Rob Wilder, Manu Chandaria, Lyda Hill, Lynn Schusterman, Dolly Parton, and Stacy Schusterman.
Photo: Filip Wolak/Courtesy of Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy

You’ve done great work supporting youth education through the Imagination Library, sending free books to children around the world. Why is that cause so close to your heart?

I started [that work] because of my own father, who was not able to read or write. He had had a family of 12, and he still managed to provide for us. My dad was really smart—I used to imagine what his life would have been like if he [had been literate]. So, I got the idea that it would be a good thing to do something in his honor. He’d always get a good kick out of hearing the kids call me the “book lady.” Whenever things like [this Carnegie Medal] happen in my career, I’m always thinking that my parents would be proud of me.

You’ve always used your platform for good, and it’s not something you have to do. Where do you think your focus on philanthropy work stems from?

I grew up in a very open-hearted, faith-based family. You’re taught to love and be accepting, and to give more than you receive. Both sides of my family are funny, tender-hearted, good people. Whether you believe in God or not, you need to be grounded; you need to believe in something greater than yourself. We grew up thinking that other people are just as important as we are. I wrote a song that’s going to be in my Christmas movie special in December. And it goes, “Whoever you are, be that. Whatever you do, do that. Anything else is just an act.”

When I got into a position to be able to do it on a larger scale, I did. It means a lot to me. How hard can it be for me to take pride in the Imagination Library, knowing that I’m helping put books in the hands of children all over the world? It’s more about children learning to read—it’s the fact they get recognized. They get this little book with their little name on it in the mail, and they feel special. They start taking pride in themselves, and they know that somebody out there is thinking of [them].

You’ve done some great work through your Dollywood Foundation as well. What are some of your proudest achievments through that organization?

I started it before I even had the Dollywood [amusement] park. I started giving out scholarships at the Sevier County High School, back when I had my first job with The Porter Wagoner Show. We’ve done things like help people when Gatlinburg burned [in 2016]; there were so many people who lost their homes and businesses. We’ve bought instruments and uniforms for schools.

You helped spearhead Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine research at a time when it was so easy to hide under the covers. Why did you feel the need to step up?

Well, I’m not one to hide under the covers when something that scary is going on! That was just the freakiest thing—a plague that was going to wipe us all off the face of the earth. I try to keep my heart in tune with what’s going on, as well as my eyes and ears, so when I started hearing and seeing all these things, I felt I needed to do something. I didn’t know exactly what to do, but I thought one one thing we could do is to find a vaccine—to try to stop it in its tracks, or keep it from spreading further. My heart and my head said to donate money to try and get a vaccine.

Over the years, I’ve admired how you’ve also been outspoken on LGBTQ+ rights and the need for acceptance. Have you felt the love back from that community?

Absolutely! You get back what you give. Myself, I’ve always been odd; I was very flamboyant and out there, and I got criticized a lot for that. I got bullied a lot as a child too, so I know how it feels to not be accepted. [A lot of people] who work with me are gay, lesbian, transgender—and they’re some of my best friends as well. I’ve always been open. People are who they are. I try to find the God light in everybody. The world is hard enough as it is, so we should at least help other people to be themselves. No matter what your parents say, or what other people say, you are who you are. And that’s the way you should be.

It’s still a strange time in this country, especially in the political landscape. What’s your secret to remaining positive, as you so often are?

I just wrote a song about this. It talks about how you can’t fall under that pressure. It hurts me too—I’m not one for freaking out much, but that don’t mean I don’t stay in touch! It’s like the world’s on fire, and what are we gonna do when it all burns down? How do we heal this great divide? And do we even care enough to try? Can’t we rise above and show some love? I really think we’re on dangerous ground, because people are not even paying attention, and they don’t even seem to care. That's the scary part—they’re just so locked into their own little world. That’s not a good way to live. So I just try to stay positive. I try to put more good stuff out there, to write songs that will make people think, and pay attention.

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