Dolly Parton Announces $1 Million Donation To Hurricane Helene Relief Efforts

Dolly Parton is stepping up to help those impacted by the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The music icon announced a $1 million personal donation for relief efforts, sharing in a press conference on Oct. 4 that she and her Dollywood Foundation and Dollywood businesses have partnered with Walmart to provide millions more in aid for the most affected areas. Dolly and other officials announced the news from a Newport, Tenn., Walmart, close to where Dolly grew up. The singer explained how the storm hitting so close to home inspired her to give back in such a major way. “I have a of my own relatives that live here, and when we heard about this, it was devastating, not just because it was my family, because all these people feel like my people. We all feel related, and we are in some sort of way. So it just devastated me just to know that we had to suffer like that,” she said. As of Dolly’s announcement, at least 223 people have died and hundreds more are still missing across six states since Helene made landfall on Sept. 26.