“HEARTBROKEN” DOLLY PARTON CREATES FUND TO AID TENNESSEE FAMILIES HURT BY WILDFIRE

Tennessee Highway Patrol/Reuters

Country singer Dolly Parton has set up a fund to aid the now homeless families who lost everything in the recent Tennessee wildfire.  The fire, which originated from the Great Smoky Mountains, destroyed much of the town Gatlinburg, leaving 13 dead.  Parton’s hometown is Sevier County, Tennessee, right in the same area as the affected Gatlinburg.  Parton’s “Dollywood” theme park is also in the region where the fires raged, but was not affected.

This tragedy hit very close to home for Parton, who said she was “heartbroken.”  Parton described the wildfires as destroying “the same mountains where I grew up and where my people call home.”

Parton’s fund, called “My People Fund,” vows to donate $1,000 a month to each of the families affected by the wildfire.  In her My People Fund video statement Parton said, “We want to provide a hand up to all those families that have lost everything in the fires.  And to recover, we want to make sure that the Dollywood Foundation provides $1,000 a month to all of those families that have lost their homes in the fires until they get back up on their feet.  I know it has been a trying time for my people, and this assistance will help.”

There are currently over 200 people affected by the fire in Red Cross shelters in Sevier County, but it is not apparent how many families will be qualified for Parton’s monthly fund donations.  Parton gave credit to the Red Cross for helping with the suffering families, but urged individual people to donate to My People Fund to aid the Tennessee families as well.

If you wish to offer help to the uprooted families, check out Dolly’s My People Fund to donate.

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