Dolly Parton donates $1 million to Hurricane Helene relief effort: 'These are my people'

Dolly Parton donated $1 million of her own money to Hurricane Helene relief efforts, the country star announced Friday.

Parton's Dollywood also added another $1 million to the relief fund and donated it to the Mountain Ways Foundation. Walmart CEO John Furner joined the musician to explain how the company has been building resources in affected states to provide showers and other supplies to Americans displaced by Hurricane Helene. Additionally, Furner announced that Walmart, Sam's Club and the Walmart Foundation are increasing their relief commitments from $6 million to $10 million.

“I’m excited to be here,” Parton said at the press conference. “And I'm sure many of you are wondering where I've been. Everyone asks, 'Where's Dolly?' Well, I've been like everyone else, trying to absorb everything that's going on and trying to find the best ways to do this,” she continued, before launching into the tune of her hit “Jolene.” Hurricane Helene sang.

Hurricane Helene dumped trillions of gallons of water hundreds of miles inland, devastating mountain communities far from the threat of storm surge or sea level rise.

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The Rocky Broad River flows into Lake Lure, flooding the town with debris from Chimney Rock, North Carolina, after heavy rains from Hurricane Helene. (Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images)

Parton, who grew up in East Tennessee, emphasized that she wanted to give back to the community where she grew up.

“We are all here to heal these broken hearts and that is what I am doing here,” she told reporters and North Carolinians. “I really wish we were all together for a different reason.”

“But we all saw the devastation,” Parton added. “I mean, who would have thought that we would see such devastation in our little part of the country where I was born and grew up right down the street? And I look around and think, these are my mountains, these are my valleys. These are my rivers that flow like a stream. These are my people.

“All we can say is that we are with you. We love you. We hope things get better soon and we will do our part to make that happen.”

—Dolly Parton

The “9 to 5” singer left Americans with a message of hope at the end of the press conference.

“I know it's easy for us to say, 'Oh, things are going to get better,' when things are still very bad,” she noted. “All we can say is that we are with you. We love you. We hope things get better soon and we will do our part to make that possible. We love you and we appreciate you.” And we thank you. And I think that with God's help and the help of all these good people we will do it.

MORGAN WALLEN BROADS FOR HURRICANE HELENE RELIEF, SAYS FAMILY IS 'SAFE' AMID DEVASTATING FLOODS.

Due to the lack of electricity and cell phones, locals are unable to communicate to find out where essentials are. Communication with relatives and emergency services is also patchy, and residents rely on temporary cell phone towers that have been set up at selected locations. However, there is still no service or roaming data outside of these locations.

Cars are submerged in a flooded area at a used tire dealer after Tropical Storm Helene in Hendersonville, North Carolina, USA, September 27, 2024. (Ken Ruinard/USA Today Network via Reuters)

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Chimney Rock was devastated by Hurricane Helene. Debris floats in Lake Lure. (James Broyhill)

At least 224 people have died in six states as a result of Hurricane Helene, according to FOX Weather. The death toll is expected to rise as search and rescue operations continue to comb new areas.

Ahead of Helene, federal meteorologists told residents in western North Carolina that flooding from the hurricane could be “one of the most significant weather events since 1916.” This year, two hurricanes killed at least 80 people within a week, and more than 20 inches (50.8 centimeters) of rain fell in Altapass Parish in 24 hours.

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Parton, for her part, has contributed to disaster relief efforts in the past. In August, the musician teamed up with Felix Cavaliere to re-record the popular song “My Hawaii.”

All proceeds from the song will be donated to the Maui United Way – Maui Fire Disaster Relief Fund. The fund's financial support will go to survivors of the 2023 Lahaina and Kula fire. The fire devastated Maui, killing 102 people after Hawaiian Electric's equipment was damaged by high winds.

Audrey Conklin of Fox News Digital and the Associated Press contributed to this report.