A Life Of Philanthropy: 11 Incredible Ways Dolly Parton Gave And Gave

Dolly Parton, known for her timeless hits, sparkling personality, razor-sharp wit and iconic image, was also a deeply committed philanthropist. 

In fact, she donated so much of her money in her lifetime that some estimate she would have become a billionaire without her charitable giving.

The Grammy winner, after all, held the rights to wildly successful songs, a theme park and book titles under her illustrious name.

“I try to leave my heart open, and my ears and my eyes,” she told Consequence of Sound in 2023. 

Her donations across the decades amount to countless millions. Since her death, her family has written: “In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to be made to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library”.

Here are just some of the ways the artist gave to the world…

She gave away millions of books in honour of her father 

Dolly was one of 12 children raised in a one-bedroom log cabin in rural Tennessee. While she described her father Robert as “the smartest man I’ve ever known”, he’d never learned to read or write. 

“I knew in my heart his inability to read probably kept him from seeing all his dreams come true,” Dolly shared.

She began a program called the Imagination Library in 1995, which gave age-appropriate books to children for free on a monthly basis.

Since its inception, the scheme has given away over 330 million books, and has spread to the UK, Ireland, Australia and Canada. 

“Before he passed away, my Daddy told me the Imagination Library was probably the most important thing I had ever done. I can’t tell you how much that meant to me because I created the Imagination Library as a tribute to my Daddy,” Dolly said.

Kids involved in the program were found to be nine times more likely to read four or more days per week than those who hadn’t been enrolled.

She helped to fund a Covid vaccine 

At the height of the pandemic, Dolly Parton $1 million (about £716,000 at the time) to the Vanderbilt University Medical Centre, in order to support the development of the Moderna vaccine. 

She later told BBC’s The One Show: “I’m sure many, many millions of dollars from many people went into that [fund] but I felt so proud to have been part of that little seed money that hopefully will grow into something great and help to heal this world – Lord knows we need it!” 

The singer went on to urge others to get their shots in a video with altered Jolene lyrics.

A clip showed her getting the vaccine herself while singing, “Vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, I’m begging of you, please don’t hesitate”.

She gave high schoolers $500…

Starting in 1995, Dolly began a buddy system for every seventh- and eighth-grade child in the county where she grew up.

The rules were simple: if you and your “buddy” graduated high school, each of you would get $500.

After the plan was introduced, dropout rates plummeted from 35% to 6%.

…and university students $15,000 

In 2000, meanwhile, Dolly formed the Dolly Parton Scholarship. This is offered yearly to five high school students from Sevier County, where Dolly is from, and amounts to $15,000 “to help further their education at any accredited university”. 

Per the Dollywood Foundation, these scholarships are “for students who have a dream they wish to pursue and who can successfully communicate their plan and commitment to realise their dreams”.

She raised millions following the 2016 Tennessee wildfires from a telecast

After devastating fires broke out across her home state, Dolly set up the Smoky Mountains Rise: A Benefit for the My People Fund.

The event featured Reba McEntire, Kenny Rogers and Alison Krauss – and it reportedly raised over $9 million for wildfire relief. 

She also supported people directly after the fires

Dolly went on to give families whose homes had been destroyed $1,000 monthly directly following the blaze through the My People Fund.

The instalments lasted for six months after the fires.

She gave millions to hospitals 

Between concerts and pledges from her theme park, Dollywood, and her own funds, Dolly raised a total of $1 million for Sevier County’s LeConte Medical Centre project, which opened in 2010.

And, after a niece of hers was treated for leukemia at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University Medical Centre, she gave the institution’s pediatric cancer program $1 million in 2017.

In 2022, she donated a further million for pediatric disease research.

She raised money for flood and hurricane relief

In October 2021, Middle Tennessee faced flooding. Dolly raised $700,000 to support those in need. 

And after Hurricane Helene in 2024, she gave a combined $2 million to victims.

She supported her Dollywood employees’ education 

Dolly set up the theme park Dollywood in her home state in the ’80s. “I’m real proud of Tennessee, and I want to do something to help bring employment and attention to the state,” she said of the venture. 

Starting in 2022, employees at the park have been eligible for the Dollywood Education Coverage scheme. That means that workers who apply for a university degree will have 100% of their tuition, books and other associated costs covered by the business.

She helped to preserve the bald eagle

In 1991, Dollywood became home to the Eagle Mountain Sanctuary, where non-releasable bald eagles were protected for decades.

At the time, the species was at serious risk in the US, only being taken off the endangered list in 2007.

Musician James Rogers, who seems to have first floated the idea to Dolly, has since said: “We didn’t envision it being as grand as it actually turned out. In the beginning, I knew that we had maybe 20 or so eagles around the country that needed a home, needed a better setup, needed better conditions… but then, my gosh, the scope.” 

He added: “What [Dolly] brings to the table by being associated with the American Eagle Foundation and letting us have the Wings of America show and letting individuals get to be up close and personal with bald eagles, I think that impact is immeasurable”.

She gave $1 million to the Salvation Army in 2023

The donation came as part of the charity’s Red Kettle Campaign. Dolly said at the time, “There are so many people who ned our help this holiday season, and I am honored to shine a light on all the wonderful services The Salvation Army provides to help our neighbors in need.”