Dolly Parton makes huge donation to Hurricane Helene fund
Dolly Parton has gifted a huge $1million donation to help the recovery from Hurricane Helene, which devastated the southeastern USA in September.
Discussing the donation at an event in Tennessee, the ‘9 to 5’ singer revealed the money would be transferred “from my own bank account,” with some of her own organisations, including Dollywood, donating the same amount of money to Mountain Ways Foundation to aid the aftermath.
“There’s a lot to be done and we’re trying to find other ways to even raise more funds,” the musician said, adding: “And like I said, we’re trying to find new other ways to make money because it’s going to take a lot of money, as you know. And it’s going to take a long time. There’s still so much more to do.”
She also reflected on how the impact made her reflect on the area she grew up in, saying, “These are my rivers, flowing like a stream. These are my people. These mountain-coloured rainbows, these are my people and this is my home … I just want you to know that I am totally with you, ’cause I am part of you. I love you.”
In September, Hurricane Helene devastated Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and more, resulting in over 200 deaths and hundreds missing. The impact also swept thousands of homes, which have been left destroyed by the impact or left without power and electricity.
As a result, the hurricane was described as the deadliest since Katrina in 2005, making it a category-four hurricane that caused mass flooding and a clean-up effort that could last years. “This is my home,” Parton said at the news conference, which took place in a Walmart parking lot in the state.
“God has been good to me and so has the public,” she told the crowd, adding, “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.” Alongside the conference, Walmart announced it will be increasing its funding to aid recovery to $10m.
In Tennessee, the Bureau of Investigation has received over 500 calls reporting missing persons, with eleven people having been confirmed dead so far, according to the latest Flash Report.
Parton’s involvement follows a series of charitable initiatives, including her pledge to donate $1,000 per month to the families impacted by the 2016 Tennessee wildfires and her $1m contribution to the development of Covid-19 vaccines in 2020.
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