08/25/2026
The Mulliken Area Food Pantry extends our deepest condolences to the family, friends, and loved ones of Dolly Parton.
Dolly Parton will be remembered as one of America's greatest entertainers, but her impact on American families went far beyond the songs she wrote and the stages she performed on.
She spent decades using her success to help others.
* She founded The Dollywood Foundation to help children succeed in school.
* Her Buddy Program helped reduce the high school dropout rate for participating students from 35% to 6%.
* She created Dolly Parton's Imagination Library, which sends free books to children from birth through age five and now sends more than 3 million books every month.
* She funded scholarships to help students continue their education.
* After the 2016 Tennessee wildfires, her My People Fund distributed more than $12 million to families who had lost their homes.
* She donated $1 million to Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt.
* After Hurricane Helene, she personally donated $1 million to relief efforts, while her businesses and foundation contributed another $1 million.
For organizations like ours that work directly with families in need, that part of Dolly Parton's legacy means a great deal.
She understood something simple. Success means more when you use it to help somebody else. She put books in children's hands, helped students stay in school, supported sick children, funded medical research, and helped families rebuild after losing everything.
Millions of American families have been touched by her generosity, whether they ever listened to one of her songs or not.
Our thoughts are with her family and everyone mourning her loss.
Thank you, Dolly, for showing what giving back can look like.
Together We Can.
