Dolly Parton Continues Legacy of Generosity with Second Million-Dollar Donation to The Salvation Army

$1 million gift from international superstar and philanthropist will immediately serve local communities across the country to meet vital needs with food and grocery programs

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Dec. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- After serving as The Salvation Army's 27th annual Red Kettle Campaign Kickoff halftime performer and donating $1 million to the national nonprofit in 2023, Dolly Parton has shown her tremendous heart for giving again with a second donation of $1 million, funded by her Courage & Civility award from Jeff Bezos, to be used for the 2024 holiday season.

"Ms. Parton is once again ringing in hope and holiday spirit through another incredibly generous donation," said National Commander Kenneth G. Hodder. "Ahead of this Christmas season, when hope is needed more than ever, we are honored and grateful to receive this gift which will help The Salvation Army serve millions of individuals and families during a time of vital need."

Parton's gift comes at a crucial time for charitable giving as, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, the share of Americans living in poverty grew from 12.5% in 2022 to 12.9% in 2023, totaling around 36.8 million people. Christmas fundraising faces a unique challenge with five fewer days of bell ringing, which could amount to as much as a $13.5 million loss in giving based on money raised at the Red Kettles in 2023.

Once again, however, Parton's generous spirit will be distributed to local communities experiencing a high demand for food services.

With the help of generous contributions like Parton's during the holidays, The Salvation Army can meet the immediate and long-term needs of millions of individuals and families. For anyone who would like to support The Salvation Army's holiday relief efforts, the following options are available:

• Donate online at SalvationArmyUSA.org. You can make a sustaining gift of $25 a month to help neighbors all year long, or even donate cryptocurrency like Bitcoin or Ethereum.
• Donate with cash, coins, and checks – or digitally with Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, and Venmo – at any Red Kettle across the country.
• Provide Christmas gifts to children of local families in need through The Salvation Army Angel Tree. You can also contact your local Salvation Army about volunteering to distribute donated Angel Tree gifts.
• Visit RegisterToRing.com, or contact your local Salvation Army, to volunteer at a Red Kettle.

Every donation stays in the community to provide help and hope for those in need.

About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army helped nearly 27.5 million people in 2023 overcome poverty, addiction, and economic hardships by preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ and meeting human needs in His name without discrimination in nearly every ZIP code. By providing food, shelter, eviction prevention assistance, emergency disaster relief, rehabilitation, after-school and summer youth programs, spiritual enrichment, and more, The Salvation Army is doing the most good at more than 6,400 centers of operation around the country. For more information, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org. Follow us on X @SalvationArmyUS and #DoingTheMostGood.

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SOURCE The Salvation Army