Dolly Parton’s legacy will live on through her music, her movies, and the impact made by her unwavering philanthropic efforts. Throughout her lifetime, the queen of country donated millions of dollars to charity, supporting early childhood literacy, disaster victims, critical research efforts, and much more.
In 2025, Parton received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The honorary Academy Award, given at the 16th Governors Awards, celebrated the star’s outstanding work on behalf of charitable and humanitarian causes.
Dolly Parton at an Imagination Library event. (Photo by Yui Mok – PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images)In a recorded message that was played during the awards show, Parton shared, “I grew up in a house with 12 kids. Now, that alone teaches you how important sharing is. Don’t get me wrong, we didn’t have that much to share. But my mama and daddy showed me by example that the more you give, the more blessings come your way.”
The legendary performer continued, “And I’ve tried my whole life to live by their example. And I’ve been blessed more than I ever dreamed possible. I don’t take this kind of thing lightly. It makes me want to dream up new ways to help lift people up. And isn’t that what we’re supposed to be here for?”
For decades, Parton “dreamed up” ideas that would impact thousands, if not millions, of people. These include:
The Dollywood Foundation Buddy Program
Created in 1988, the Dollywood Foundation’s Buddy Program started as a way to decrease school dropout rates. Parton initially promised every seventh and eighth grader (in her local county) $500 if they graduated from high school. Her generous personal donation worked, and Parton managed to reduce the rate from 35% to 6%.
Dollywood Foundation Scholarships
Dolly’s generosity didn’t stop with $500 per child. Through her foundation, she offers five $15,000 annual scholarships to high school seniors in the local county.
The My People Fund
The Dollywood Foundation’s My People Fund was designed to help the people of Sevier County, Tennessee, after their homes were destroyed by wildfires in 2016. Over $12 million was raised to help those affected by the natural disaster.
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library
Parton launched this early-literacy-based charity in 1995 to provide free books to children in need. While the program started in Tennessee, it has now spread across the United States and into Canada, Australia, the U.K., and Ireland. As of 2026, the Imagination Library has gifted over 332 million books to children from birth through age five.
Dolly Parton’s Philanthropy and Medical Research
Along with her foundation, Parton also helped to fund several medical research initiatives. When COVID struck in 2020, she jumped in and donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for research. The Dolly Parton COVID-19 Research Fund was instrumental in the development of a vaccine.
She later donated another $1 million to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center for research into pediatric infectious diseases. Per Good Morning America, Parton said, “I love children. No child should ever have to suffer, 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.”
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