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Thursday March 28, 2024

Dolly Parton granted with $100M Courage & Civility Award from Jeff Bezos

Dolly Parton's philanthropic endeavours earned her the award

By Web Desk
November 14, 2022
Dolly Parton granted with $100M Courage & Civility Award from Jeff Bezos

Dolly Parton has been granted the $100 million Bezos award for Courage and Civility by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

On November 12, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos granted the $100M Courage & Civility Award to Dolly Parton.

Lauren Sanchez, Bezos's wife, said that the award recognises "leaders who aim high, find solutions and who always do it with civility." The money is granted “to direct to the charities that (recipients) see fit."

As per Deadline, Bezos said of Parton that she "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."

After receiving the award, the 76-year-old country mega star exclaimed, "Wow! Did you say $100 million?"

She added, "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."

Parton has been widely known for her philanthropic endeavours. She founded the Dolly Foundation, which includes an Imagination library that grants free good quality books every month to over a million children all over the world.

In 2021, Parton used her royalties from Whitney Houston’s rendition of her song I Will Always Love You to purchase a strip mall in Nashville to support the local Black community.

In 2020, Parton also financed the Moderna Covid vaccine through a $1 million donation to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center for its coronavirus research.