How Dolly Parton helped the world - from children's books to supporting Covid vaccine

Dolly Parton's legacy extends beyond her iconic music and Southern charm, encompassing a profound commitment to philanthropy that has touched countless lives. From fostering literacy in children to supporting critical medical research, her charitable endeavors have made a significant global impact.

A cornerstone of Parton's philanthropic work is the Imagination Library, a program launched in 1995 that sends free books monthly to children under five. This initiative, which began in her home of Sevier County, Tennessee, was inspired by her father's inability to read or write. Parton once wrote, "I think deep down inside, my daddy was prouder of [the library] than he even was of my career." The program has since expanded internationally, reaching children in the US, Canada, UK (where it opened in 2007), Ireland, and Australia, distributing over 332.4 million books. For many children, receiving a personalized book is a deeply meaningful experience. Eileen Driver, chair of the Stokesley Imagination Library in the UK, praised Parton's "remarkable" vision for sharing stories. Scottish National Party councillor Lee Mills, a lifelong fan, is actively working to bring the Imagination Library to Dundee, stating, "Dolly's legacy will last with every page turned of a children's book." British author Selina Brown, whose book *My Rice is Best* was distributed by the library, highlighted the importance of representation, noting the emotional impact of seeing 14,000 copies of her book, featuring a Black protagonist, being prepared for distribution. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Parton also recorded herself reading books aloud on YouTube for children, some of whom were surprised to learn she was also a singer.

Parton's generosity also played a crucial role in the fight against Covid-19. In 2020, she donated $1 million (£716,000) to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, which contributed to funding the Moderna vaccine. A portion of this donation supported an early-stage trial that demonstrated the vaccine's nearly 95% effectiveness against severe Covid-19. Parton actively encouraged vaccination, even reimagining her hit song "Jolene" with lyrics like "vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, vaccine, I'm begging of you, please don't hesitate," and publicly showing herself receiving the injection, stating, "I'm old enough to get it and I'm smart enough to get it."

Her commitment to medical research and healthcare extends over many years. In 2007, a benefit concert raised $1 million for a new hospital and cancer center in Sevier County, which includes the Dolly Parton Center for Women's Services. Ten years later, she released a children's album, *I Believe in You*, and donated another $1 million to Nashville's Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, following her niece's treatment for leukemia there. She later donated an additional $1 million to the hospital for pediatric infectious disease research. "No child should ever have to suffer," Parton stated, "and I'm willing to do my part to try and keep as many of them as I can as healthy and safe as possible." Earlier this year, the East Tennessee Children's Hospital was renamed the Dolly Parton Children's Hospital in recognition of her partnership with the facility.

Parton established her non-profit organization, the Dollywood Foundation, in 1988 to bolster children's education. Beyond the Imagination Library, the foundation's efforts are practical and often directly impact communities. In the early 1990s, Parton offered every seventh and eighth-grade student (ages 12 to 14) in Sevier County $500 if they graduated high school, provided they had a buddy to keep each other accountable. This incentive dramatically reduced the dropout rate from 35% to 6%, according to the foundation's website. "I'm kind of addicted to the feeling of giving," she once said. The Dollywood Foundation also offers a scholarship program providing $15,000 to five high school seniors "who have a dream they wish to pursue."

Parton's philanthropy also extends to disaster relief and environmental conservation. After a devastating fire in Sevier County in 2016, she organized a telethon that raised over $13 million, featuring artists like Kenny Rogers, Chris Stapleton, Reba McEntire, and Cyndi Lauper. She further pledged $1,000 per month for six months to approximately 900 families who lost their homes. Five years later, when Middle Tennessee experienced severe flooding, Parton helped raise $700,000 for residents. "I'm just so proud to have been a part of anything that's good and that's making life a little better for people," she told Good Morning America.

Her Dollywood amusement park is also home to the world's largest sanctuary for non-releasable bald eagles, managed by the American Eagle Foundation. Their rehabilitation and breeding work contributed to the bald eagle's removal from the endangered species list in 2007.

In 2022, Parton expanded her educational charity work to adults, announcing that all Dollywood employees, regardless of their employment status, would have 100% of their tuition and book costs covered if they pursued further education.

Parton, one of 12 children born into a poor family in a one-bedroom cabin in the Smoky Mountains, was deeply influenced by her hardworking tobacco farmer father, Robert Lee Parton. She wrote, "He was the smartest man I have ever known but I know in my heart his inability to read probably kept him from fulfilling all of his dreams."

In 2018, the Imagination Library donated its 100 millionth book to The Library of Congress in Washington D.C. Parton was honored with the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy in 2022, recognizing her as "one of the entertainment world's most generous philanthropists."

"When I'm done, I can rest in peace knowing I've done my best," Parton once reflected. "I hope that when my time comes, I'll leave something behind that others can use to lift themselves up."