NASHVILLE (CelebrityAccess) – Country legend Dolly Parton received a prestigious award from Amazon’s Jeff Bezos – The Courage and Civility Award, worth $100 million that Parton says will be used to “help people.” Past recipients include Van Jones and Chef Jose Andres.
Responding to her winning the award, Parton took to social media, “I try to put my money where my heart is. I will do my best to do good things with this money. Thank you, @JeffBezos and #LaurenSanchez.”
I try to put my money where my heart is. I will do my best to do good things with this money ❤️ Thank you, @JeffBezos #LaurenSanchez https://t.co/8RHh51z3jT
— Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) November 13, 2022
During the award ceremony, Bezos said, “The award recognizes leaders who aim high, find solutions, and who always do it with civility,” said Sanchez while introducing Parton. “Each awardee receives $100 million to direct to the charities they see fit.”
Once Parton was brought to the stage, she said, “What?! 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. And I think you do the same thing. I’m going to do my best to do good things with this money. Thank You, Jeff.”
Parton is no stranger to giving to charities. She works with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which aims to “inspire a love of reading by gifting books free of charge to children from birth to age five.”
In the past, she’s given $1 million to Vanderbilt University’s Medical Center and her friend, Dr. Naji Abumrad, to help develop the COVID-19 Moderna vaccine. She also hosted Smoky Mountains Rise: A Benefits for the My People Fund in 2016, which helped raise money for those whose homes were destroyed by wildfires in the Great Smoky Mountains.
