A Timeline of Dolly Parton’s Good Deeds

Dolly Parton was more than a country icon. She was also one of the entertainment world’s most prolific philanthropists, using her success to support causes ranging from childhood literacy and education to healthcare, disaster relief and more.

Following her death at age 80 on Tuesday (Aug. 25), Parton’s charitable legacy remains as impactful as her music. From the launch of the Dollywood Foundation in 1988 to the creation of her Imagination Library in 1995, she spent decades giving back to communities and causes close to her heart. By 2025, the Imagination Library alone gifted more than 300 million books to children around the world, providing free, age-appropriate books to children from birth to age five.

Parton’s philanthropy also reached the worlds of medical research, education and emergency relief. In 2020, she donated $1 million to coronavirus research at Vanderbilt University, a contribution that helped support research that led to the development of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. She also donated millions of dollars to organizations including children’s hospitals and provided substantial aid to communities affected by natural disasters.

Her generosity continued into the final years of her life. In 2024, she contributed $1 million toward Hurricane Helene relief efforts in East Tennessee, while her businesses and the Dollywood Foundation contributed an additional $1 million. In 2025, her Imagination Library gifted more than 40 million books to children.

See below for a timeline of the country star’s biggest philanthropic efforts and the charitable legacy she leaves behind.