Dolly Parton receives $100 million Courage and Civility Award from Jeff Bezos
Nov 12, 2022, 7:32 PM
Dolly Parton speaks onstage during the 37th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction on November 05, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Theo Wargo/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)
(Theo Wargo/Getty Images for The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)
(CNN) — Dolly Parton is the latest recipient of Jeff Bezos’ Courage and Civility Award recipient.
“Jeff and I are so proud to share that we have a new Bezos Courage and Civility Award winner — a woman who gives with her heart and leads with love and compassion in every aspect of her work,” Bezos’ girlfriend, Lauren Sanchez, posted on Instagram alongside a video of their speech Friday before awarding the grant to the country music legend. “We can’t wait to see all the good that you’re going to do with this $100 million award, @DollyParton.”
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
Parton is also known for her philanthropy. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Parton donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s vaccine research efforts. It was partly used to fund Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine.
She said in an interview at the time with BBC’s “The One Show,” that she felt “honored and proud.”
“I just felt so proud to have been part of that little seed money that will hopefully grow into something great and help to heal this world,” she said. “I’m a very proud girl today to know I had anything at all to do with something that’s going to help us through this crazy pandemic.”
In 1988, Parton established the Dollywood Foundation, and eventually The Imagination Library, a program that helps children across the world access books.
Among her philanthropic efforts in her home state of Tennessee, Parton also created the Dolly Parton Scholarship, which provides $15,000 to recipients towards a college education.
Last year, Bezos awarded $100 million each to CNN contributor Van Jones and chef José Andrés.
Bezos, the founder and former head of Amazon.com, said at a press conference at the time that the grant had no string attached.
“They can give it all to their own charity,” Bezos said last year. “Or they can share the wealth. It is up to them.”
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