Country music legend Dolly Parton donated $1 million to Hurricane Helene relief efforts.
Hurricane Helene devastated the Southeastern United States last week, wreaking havoc on communities in Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, and beyond. At the time of writing, the hurricane had killed an estimated 220 people, with hundreds more still missing. Hundreds of thousands of houses are without electricity, and infrastructure damage has spread far.
Parton has now revealed that she will donate $1 million “from my personal bank account” to aid with recovery efforts.
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The country icon shared the news yesterday (October 4), while speaking at a press conference in a Walmart parking lot in her home state of Tennessee. “From myself, personally, just from my own bank account, I’m donating a million dollars today,” said.
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Dolly Parton says she’s donating $1 million “from my own personal bank account,” towards Hurricane Helene recovery efforts.
She adds that her various businesses and foundation are matching her personal donation with another $1 million. pic.twitter.com/Y3kp3QD7tO
“But there’s a lot to be done and we’re trying to find other ways to even raise more funds.”
“We’re starting out with a good little hunk,” she told the crowd. “And like I said, we’re trying to find new other ways to make money because it’s going to take a lot of money, as you know. And it’s going to take a long time. There’s still so much more to do.”
The singer also reflected on how the hurricane had impacted the area she grew up in, saying: “Who knew in our little part of the country here – where I was born and raised right down the road – that we would have this kind of devastation,” she said.
“I look around and I think, these are my mountains. These are my valleys. These are my rivers, flowing like a stream. These are my people. These mountain-coloured rainbows, these are my people and this is my home … I just want you to know that I am totally with you, ’cause I am part of you. I love you.”
Parton also performed a brief remix of her hit ‘Jolene’, altering the lyrics to reference the hurricane: “Helene, you came in here and broke us all apart,” she sang.
