Dolly Parton donates $1 million for hurricane relief effort

Hurricane Helene, classified as a category four hurricane, devastated southeastern US states such as Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina last week, leaving behind enormous destruction. At least 225 people have died as a result of the catastrophe, and hundreds of thousands of homes remain without power. Infrastructure losses and sudden floods have also impacted numerous other cities.

The singer, actress, and philanthropist Dolly Parton announced her donation at a press conference in her hometown of Tennessee: "I wanted to announce that from myself personally, just from my own bank account, I'm donating a million dollars today," she declared during her speech. "God has been good to me and so has the public, and I feel that if there's anything I can do to give back in any way I can I'm always willing to do that. I want to feel like I'm doing my part."

The creator of the hit "Jolene" also emphasised that Dollywood, the company she manages, including her theme park of the same name, intends to double this amount. The money will be donated to the Mountain Ways Foundation, which supports relief efforts and rebuilding in eastern Tennessee, western North Carolina, and the wider Appalachian region.

"We're starting out with a good little hunk," added Dolly Parton, stressing that far more resources and time will be required to restore the affected areas to normality. "Who knew in our little part of the country here – where I was born and raised right down the road – that we would have this kind of devastation."

The artist reminisced about her hometown of Locust Ridge, Tennessee, and the enormous destruction caused by Hurricane Helene. "These mountain-coloured rainbows, these are my people, and this is my home…," she said with emotion. "I just want you to know that I am totally with you, 'cause I am part of you. I love you."

Dolly also expressed support for those affected by the hurricane: "I know it's easy for us to say, 'Oh, things are going to get better' when things are still really bad, when times are tough, but all we can say is that we are with you, that we love you, and that we hope that things get better real soon."

This donation is not Parton's first act of philanthropy. In 2016, her Dollywood Foundation committed to paying $1,000 monthly to families affected by wildfires in Sevier County, Tennessee. In 2021, she donated part of the proceeds from Dollywood tickets to assist flood victims in Tennessee, and a year earlier, she donated $1 million to the development of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Parton is one of the biggest icons of country music, but she is also a versatile artist whose career includes acting achievements. Her feature film debut was in the movie 9 to 5, where she starred alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. Another well-known film featuring her is Steel Magnolias. She has received three Golden Globe nominations and two Emmy nominations. She is 78 years old.