Dolly Parton has donated millions to hurricane relief, and now she will be donating millions more after announcing a partnership with Walmart.
Parton shared at an event Friday in Newport that she would personally donate $1 million to help victims of Hurricane Helene, and the Dollywood Foundation would be donating another $1 million, as reported by WATE.
"We wish that we were all together for another reason, but we all have seen the devastation. I mean, who knew in our little part of the country here where I was born, raised just right down the road, that we would have this kind of devastation? And I look around and I think 'These are my mountains, these are my valleys, these are my people and this is my home.' And I just want all of you to know that," Parton said at the event.
Also at the event was Walmart CEO John Furner, who announced that Walmart, Sam's Club and the Walmart Foundation would be upping their initial pledge of $6 million to $10 million. Furner shared that several Walmart employees lost everything in Hurricane Helene.
"I've been with Walmart for 31 years, and in 31 years, I've seen a lot of things, but I can't think of anything that I've seen that's just like this," Furner said, referencing Helene, as reported by WRAL.
Parton sang a rendition of her song "Jolene" to the crowd of about 250 people. She sang, "Helene, Helene, Helene, you came in here and broke us all apart. Helene, Helene, Helene, we're all here to mend these broken hearts."
The Dollywood Foundation, in partnership with its sponsor Coca-Cola, has already donated a semi-truck full of water for distribution, as well as 60,000 reusable masks, 30,000 disposable protective garments and 2.5 million disposable masks for cleanup efforts across East Tennessee, as reported by the Knoxville News Sentinel.
Dollywood itself will also become a spot where people can donate items such as trash bags, tarps, cleaning supplies, baby formula, diapers, can openers, blankets, pet food and more.
"I've been in the military, and I've seen servant leadership. I've seen leaders talk servant leadership, but they're doing it at their level," Matthew Underwood, the Newport Walmart Supercenter store manager, said of Furner and Parton. "I think it's a great opportunity for them to use their voice and use their influence to be able to bring that light together and just be so impactful."
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