### Dolly Parton Partners with Walmart for Hurricane Helene Relief Efforts

In the wake of the devastating Hurricane Helene, Dolly Parton is stepping up with significant relief efforts to help those affected across several states. The country music legend and philanthropist announced a partnership with Walmart to provide aid after the hurricane caused substantial damage, resulting in hundreds of deaths and leaving millions of homes and businesses without power in Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Virginia.

Parton has committed a $1 million donation to the Mountain Ways Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on providing immediate assistance to flood victims of Hurricane Helene. Adding to her generous contribution, Parton's East Tennessee enterprises—Dollywood Parks & Resorts, Dolly Parton's Stampede, Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show, and the Dollywood Foundation—have pledged to match her donation with an additional $1 million.

The announcement was made at a Walmart Supercenter in Newport, Tennessee, where Parton addressed over 250 community members gathered in the parking lot. Expressing her deep connection to the area, she remarked, "I just want you to know that I am totally with you because I am part of you. I love you," emphasizing her bond with the community by saying, "These are my people, and this is my home."

Parton emotionally recalled her childhood experiences in Newport and sang a rendition of her classic song "Jolene," tweaking the lyrics to reflect the tragedy brought by the storm. "Helene, Helene, Helene, you came in here and broke us all apart," she sang, vowing to help mend the community's broken hearts.

John Furner, U.S. President and CEO of Walmart, heightened the company's commitment to the cause, raising their initial donation pledge from $6 million to $10 million to support relief efforts in the affected regions. "One of the things we love most about Dolly as a partner is her incredible heart and care for her community," Furner said, drawing parallels between Parton’s dedication and the proactive spirit of Walmart associates.

Matthew Underwood, the manager of the Newport Walmart store, expressed immense gratitude for the collaborative support from both Parton and Walmart, noting that their leadership is inspirational and impactful.

Dollywood has already begun contributing to the relief efforts by partnering with Coca-Cola to donate a semi-truck full of water for distribution in Cocke County, Tennessee. In addition to this, Dollywood has donated 60,000 reusable masks, 30,000 disposable protective garments, and 2.5 million disposable masks for cleanup operations. Moreover, they provided disposable serving ware and utensils for the meals being distributed by Mountain Ways.

The Dollywood theme park is also serving as a donation drop-off location, accepting essential items needed for the cleanup and recovery process. These include buckets with lids, tarps, shovels, rakes, trash bags, work gloves, masks, cleaning supplies, baby essentials, and pet food.

Looking forward, the spirit of giving will continue as Dollywood launches its "Love Shares" program to further enhance its community involvement and philanthropic endeavors.

Federal and state-level assistance is also in action, with President Joe Biden approving federal disaster aid for several counties in Tennessee, and Tennessee Governor Bill Lee requesting a Major Disaster Declaration to further support the relief efforts. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is coordinating these efforts to provide life-saving assistance and protect property in the affected areas.

With a remarkable history of philanthropy, Dolly Parton’s latest efforts reaffirm her steadfast dedication to supporting communities in need, particularly in her beloved home region of East Tennessee.