‘I am part of you’: Dolly Parton, Dollywood to donate millions to Helene flood relief efforts
NEWPORT, Tenn. (WVLT/Gray News) - Dolly Parton made a stop in Newport, Tennessee on Friday, one week after many areas of East Tennessee were hit with massive floods brought on by Hurricane Helene.
She announced a sizable donation she was making to the community, hoping to give back to the people “who treat her so well.”
“Who would’ve known that in this little part of the country where I was born and raised would have this kind of devastation,” she said. “I am totally with you because I am part of you.”
Parton announced she planned to donate $1 million to the Mountain Ways Foundation, a nonprofit offering help to Helene victims. That contribution is being matched by her East Tennessee businesses, including the Dollywood Foundation.
The efforts are personal for Parton.
“It’s personal because I have a lot of my own relatives here,” she said. “It was devastating, not just because of my own people here, but because of everyone.”
In addition to the monetary donations, Parton announced other ways she and her companies are planning to help.
Dollywood worked with Coca-Cola to donate a semi-truck of water to Cocke County, and the theme park also donated millions of masks and disposable protective garments to help with cleanup.
“You’re never prepared. You just try to step up,” she said. “God has been good to me, and so has the public, so I want to feel like I’m doing my part.”
In addition, Parton announced that Dollywood itself will become a donation center for those looking to give. Organizers there are looking for donations of:
- Buckets with lids
- Tarps
- Shovels
- Rakes
- Trash bags
- Work gloves
- Masks
- Cleaning wipes
- Diapers
- Baby formula and food
- Can openers
- First aid supplies
- Personal hygiene items
- Kitty litter
- New socks and underwear
- Clean towels and blankets
- Laundry detergent
- Pet food
- Hand sanitizer
At the event, Walmart also announced they are increasing their donation to aid efforts in the region to a total of $10 million.
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