Is Dolly Parton a secret philanthropist? Fans of the country superstar seem to think so after it was revealed that she was involved in a number of charities without letting the public know.
Some of his recent charities include paying for band uniforms for several Tennessee high schools over the years; buying a mall in Nashville using the royalties she earned on Whitney Houston’s version of “I Will Always Love You” to support the surrounding black neighborhood in honor of the late singer; and donating $1 million to research dedicated to creating the Moderna vaccine.
During an interview with The Associated Press before receiving the Carnegie Medal for Philanthropy on Thursday night, Parton said she was doing none of this for the recognition.
“I don’t do it to get attention,” she said. “But look! I get a lot of attention doing it.
Dolly Parton was honored for her charity work on Thursday, although she says she doesn’t do it for attention. (Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Netflix)
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Although she’s not there to get attention, Parton thinks she’s gotten too much. She offers college scholarships through her Dollywood Foundation, helps those affected by natural disasters, and works to eradicate illiteracy among children.
Although she does all of this, Parton thinks she gets “more attention than maybe others” who do more than her, and she hopes seeing her good deeds will inspire others. to also help others.
In her Carnegie Medal for Philanthropy acceptance speech, Parton admitted she doesn’t have a strategy for her giving, choosing to donate when she sees a need she thinks can be met.
“I just give with my heart,” she said. “I never know what I’m going to do or why I’m going to do it. I just see a need and if I can fill it, then I will.”
Something Parton is particularly invested in is inspiring a love of reading in children through her. imagination library initiative. On request, the initiative sends a free book each month to children under 5, averaging around 2 million books per month.
Parton started the initiative for a very personal reason – to see how illiteracy had a negative impact on someone she loved.
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“It actually started because my dad couldn’t read or write, and I saw how crippling it could be,” she said. “My father was a very intelligent man. And I often wondered what he could have done if he had known how to read and write. So that’s the inspiration.”
Parton started the Imagination Library because his father could not read or write. (Rick Kern/FilmMagic)
This program continues to grow. And last month, the State of California partnered with Imagination Library to make the program available to the state’s millions of children under age 5.
“It’s a big deal,” she said. “That’s a lot of kids. And we’re so honored and proud to have all the communities making this happen because I get a lot of credit for the work that a lot of people are doing.”
Parton explains that the only reason she accepts the attention surrounding her philanthropy is because it helps bring more attention to the Library of Imagination, saying she’s “proud to be the voice that does this.” I can to put more books in the hands of more children. “
Eric Isaacs, president of the Carnegie Institution for Science and one of the medal selection committee members, praised Parton for being a “tremendous example” of someone who understands how important it is to give back to your community. .
“Everyone knows his music,” he said. “They may know Dollywood for entertainment, more broadly. But now they’re going to know her for her philanthropy, which I’m not sure they’ve done before.”
While Parton has made her philanthropic work a top priority, earlier this year she published a novel with James Patterson, ‘Run, Rose, Run’, and filmed a Christmas movie with Willie Nelson, Miley Cyrus and Jimmy Fallon for NBC titled “Dolly Parton’s Magical Mountain Christmas.”
Parton did a Christmas movie with Miley Cyrus, Willie Nelson and Jimmy Fallon called “Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas.” (Getty Images)
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She will also be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on November 5, alongside Eminem, Lionel Richie and Pat Benatar, among others. Parton initially declined the offer, but has since changed her tune, saying she’s “ready to rock” and has already written a new song for this ceremony in Los Angeles.
Parton is already doing a lot, but is ready to do more. It has implemented the Care More initiative at its Dollywood Parks and Resorts, an effort that allows employees to take days off to volunteer at a nonprofit of their choice.
“I think it’s important for everyone to do their part to help others,” she said. “This world is so crazy. I don’t think we even know what we’re doing to each other and to this world.”
Parton says she hopes the day of service will make people realize that “when you help someone, it helps them, but it can help you more”.
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Parton thinks helping others is what people should do as human beings and she doesn’t understand why people let other things get in their way. (Nathan Congleton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images)
“That’s what we should be doing as human beings,” she said. “I never really understood why we have to let religion and politics and things like that get in the way of us just being good human beings. I think it’s important from that perspective to feel that you’re doing your part, that you’re doing something decent and good and right.”
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Lori Bashian is an entertainment production assistant for Fox News Digital.
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