The Dollywood Foundation’s My People Fund served nearly 900 families in the first distribution as donation totals climb to $9.3 million including $250,000 from Food City.
In a little more than two weeks after the wildfires that spread across Dolly Parton’s home area of Sevier County, TN, Dolly and the Dollywood Foundation launched the distribution of assistance from the My People Fund. During the four-day check distribution, 884 families received their initial support payments. Dolly said,
“It’s a blessing during this holiday season that we are able to help as many families as we have so far. We know there are more families out there who need our help and we encourage them to be in contact with us before our January distribution.”
The next distribution is set for January 26 and 27, 2017, at the LeConte Events Center in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
- Thursday, Jan. 26: Last name A – L
- Friday, Jan. 27: Last name M – Z
Food City Donation
Thanks to the generosity of Food City, their customers, associates and more, the company presented checks to the Dollywood Foundation's My People Fund and the Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Gatlinburg Relief Fund totaling $750,000. Steven C. Smith, Food City President/CEO said,
“Our company has been privileged to operate in the Sevier County/Gatlinburg area for more than thirty years and we certainly want to do everything possible to help our friends and neighbors recover from this devastating disaster."
Food City designated $500,000 to benefit the Gatlinburg Relief Fund, while the remaining $250,000 was directed to the My People Fund.
About My People Fund
The Dollywood Foundation’s My People Fund provides $1000 each month to Sevier County families whose homes are uninhabitable or were completely destroyed in the recent Smoky Mountain wildfires. Any family who lost their primary residence (renters and homeowners) due to the wildfires in Sevier County are eligible. A pre-application for those affected is available at DollywoodFoundation.org.
Millions of people watched Smoky Mountains Rise: A Benefit for the My People Fund telethon on Tuesday, December 13 on GAC, AXS-TV, RFD and The Heartland Network and during several rebroadcasts throughout the last weekend. As a result, donations continued to roll in and thanks to generous people from coast to coast and Dolly’s friends, the total amount raised has climbed to $9.3 million. David Dotson, Dollywood Foundation President commented saying,
“As, Dolly said, the response has been overwhelming. We will distribute all $9.3 million to the families affected. That will insure all of the money raised will go to where Dolly promised it would.”
