Photo Courtesy of Wes McFee
By Morgan Rudowicz
One of Dolly Parton’s amazing philanthropic efforts was in 1995, when she started Imagination Library. This library was for children who could not read or write and provided resources to help them, regardless of their background. Free books were offered to children in the United States, and eventually this became worldwide, helping those in need everywhere.
According to ABC News, Parton said on Good Morning America in 2021, “If you can read, you can self-educate yourself, and you’re just lost if you can’t. I just think it’s important for children to learn to read in the early years, to learn to love books and all that.”
This specific philanthropy was highly successful in creating a space for children to learn how to comfortably read and write. The program received multiple library Literary Awards and even went to Washington, D.C., to present the 100 millionth book through the program at the Library of Congress. Parton was very involved in her charitable work and gave millions of dollars away to different charities.
Dollywood is a large amusement park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, that was devoted to Dolly Parton and her music. Since Parton “did not believe in billionaires,” she donated much of her wealth to philanthropic efforts. Following her passing, her family has continued to support and contribute to these efforts. The “Dollywood Foundation” was created in 1988 and also went along with her former charities about children in the United States achieving educational success.
According to The Dollywood Foundation, initial efforts focused on decreasing the dropout rate in the country’s high schools. In the early 90s, Parton promised every 7th-grade and 8th-grade student she would personally give them $500 if they graduated from high school. This effort, called the Buddy Program, reduced the dropout rate for these two classes from 35% to 6%.
Just being able to offer this to students is such a great reward to keep them motivated to finish school. It’s not even about the money; it is about being able to help students in need and students who may just need the extra support from someone.
Parton was truly an influential person, not only because of her country music career success, but also because she used that success to help others in need. She had dedicated so much time in her career to help others, especially children and families.
According to the book, Smart Blonde: The Life of Dolly Parton, “Even when she had achieved a substantial level of success, her burning ambition was such that her sights were set higher still.”
The book then goes into what Parton herself had said: “I don’t want a tombstone. I want to live forever. They say a dreamer lives forever. I want to be more than just an ordinary star. I want to be a famous writer, a famous singer, a famous entertainer. I want to be a movie writer; I want to do music movies, and do children’s stories. I want to be somebody important … I want to be somebody that extremely shines. A star shines, of course, but I want to be really radiant.”
Dolly used all her platforms to make a positive difference and change many lives. Her commitment and generosity in helping others show that successful people can use their achievements to give back to those who may be struggling more than they are. To this day, Dolly Parton is an important example of how determination, compassion, and generosity can create meaningful change in communities around the world.