Dolly Parton Makes Multi-Million Dollar Investment in the Children of Nashville

Dolly Parton is many things—a best-selling country artist, a committed philanthropist, a fierce advocacy for childhood literacy. The “Jolene” singer founded Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in honor of her father, who never learned to read or write. As of June 2023, the Imagination Library had distributed a staggering 200 million books to children across the world. More recently, the Dollywood Foundation—home of the Imagination Library—helped the Nashville Public Library launch its newest early literacy program.

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Dolly Parton’s Foundation Just Gave the Library Its Largest Donation Ever

Thanks to Dolly Parton and her foundation, more Nashville children will arrive “reading ready” to their first day of kindergarten.

Through the Dollywood Foundation, the “Queen of Country” has invested $4.5 million toward Begin Bright, the Nashville Public Library’s early literacy program. This is the largest gift in the Nashville Public Library Foundation’s 27-year history, according to a news release.

Through Begin Bright, every childcare center in the county will receive a Little Library filled with Imagination Library books, along with a slate of Nashville Public Library resources. Additionally, a new app will offer on-demand digital early literacy training for parents and teachers.

“I really believe this partnership can make a huge impact on inspiring a love of reading for children and families,” Parton said. ”And one of the best parts is that Nashville can once again light the way for the nation.”

[RELATED: 6 Times Dolly Parton Made a Giant Humanitarian Difference]

How Dolly’s Dad Inspired Her Imagination Foundation Library

Dolly Parton kicked off the Imagination Library in 1995. And the 11-time Grammy Award winner has spoken about how her father, Robert Lee Parton, inspired her childhood literacy advocacy.

“My dad was from our big old family, and so he didn’t get to go to school, so Daddy couldn’t read and write,” Parton said during a 2018 interview with Good Morning America. “And that always troubled him and bothered him, and so I wanted to do something special for him.”

“So I got the idea to start this program and let my dad help me with it,” she continued. “And he got to live long enough to hear the kids call me the book lady.”

Featured image by AFF-USA/Shutterstock

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