This past weekend, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his partner Lauren Sanchez honored Dolly Parton with the Bezos Award for Courage & Civility.
Sanchez said the $100 million was awarded to honor “leaders who aim high, find solutions, and do it all while remaining civil.” The money will be directed to causes chosen by the recipients.
Bezos said Parton “embodies these ideals so thoroughly; she gives with her heart. What she’s done for kids, literacy, and so many other things is just incredible.”
The country singer said, “Wow! Did you say $100 million? When people are in a position to help, you should help, and I know that I’ve always said I try to put my money where my heart is… I will do my best to do good things with this money.”
In 2020, Parton donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center to support its coronavirus research for the Moderna Covid vaccine.
Among her many accomplishments is the founding of the Dollywood Foundation, including the Imagination Library, which provides free books to more than a million children worldwide every month.
In 2021, Parton purchased a strip mall in Nashville to support the local black community with royalties from Whitney Houston’s rendition of her song “I Will Always Love You.”
In receiving the Bezos Award, Parton follows activist Van Jones and chef and humanitarian Jose Andres.
We’ve just announced a new Courage and Civility award recipient — @DollyParton, who leads with her heart, and will put this $100 million award to great use helping so many people. She joins prior awardees, @VanJones68 and @Chefjoseandres. Congrats, Dolly! pic.twitter.com/dzTuoGVp3G
— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) November 12, 2022
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