DOLLY PARTON'S MY PEOPLE FUND SERVES NEARLY 900 FAMILIES IN FIRST DISTRIBUTION

Donations to the fund continue as totals climb to $9.3 million

In a little more than two weeks after the wildfires that spread across Dolly Parton’s home area of Sevier County, Tennessee, Parton and the Dollywood Foundation launched the distribution of assistance from the My People Fund. During the four day cash distribution, 884 families received their initial support payments.

“It’s a blessing during this holiday season that we are able to help as many families as we have so far,” Parton said. “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 Dollywood Foundation My People Fund provides $1,000 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 will be 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 Great American Country, AXS-TV, RFD-TV and The Heartland Network and during several rebroadcasts throughout the last week. As a result, donations continued to roll in and thanks to generous people from coast to coast and Parton’s friends, the total amount raised has climbed to $9.3 million.

“As, Dolly said, the response has been overwhelming,” David Dotson, Dollywood Foundation President said. “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 go.”

The next distribution is January 26 and 27, 2017 at the LeConte Events Center in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

#TUNEIN REMINDER! TONIGHT!!!! TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13 - SMOKY MOUNTAINS RISE TELETHON

STAR-STUDDED SMOKY MOUNTAINS RISE TELETHON SET TO AIR TONIGHT

Smoky Mountains Rise is a three-hour telethon broadcast on Tuesday, Dec. 13 to raise money for the Dollywood Foundation’s My People Fund to benefit those affected by the Sevier County, Tennessee wildfires. This is where country comes together to give back to those who truly need it.

TIME: 8pm ET

WATCH LIVE

Great American Country​, AXS TV​, RFD-TV​ and The Heartland Network​

STREAM ONLINE

 USATODAY.com and USA TODAY affliate newspaper sites including The Tennessean​, Knoxnews.com​, commercialappeal.com, jacksonsun.com​.com, TheLeafChronicle.com​, dnj.com​ and more.

WHERE TO LISTEN

Nash Nights Live​, TuneIn​'s Country Roads channel, SiriusXM Radio​'s Rural Radio Channel, SiriusXM The Highway​, SiriusXM Prime Country​, SiriusXM Y2Kountry​, Sirius XM's The Garth Channel, CBS Radio​, ABC Radio​ Networks, select iHeartMedia Inc.​ stations and Cumulus Media​ stations (check your local stations to see if they'll be airing)
USAToday.com and USA Today National Networks will live stream the telethon on their affiliate newspaper websites, including all Tennessee newspaper sites Tennessean.com, Knoxnews.com, commercialappeal.com, jacksonsun.com, theleafchronicle.com, dnj.com, and others.

CELEBRITIES

Dolly Parton​, Kenny Rogers​, Hank Williams Jr.​, Chris Stapleton​, Reba McEntire​, Allison Krauss​, Michael W. Smith​, LOCASH​, Chris Janson​, Big & Rich​, Chris Young​, Montgomery Gentry​, Jamey Johnson​, Alabama​, Cyndi Lauper​, Don McLean​, Rhonda Vincent​, Amy Grant​, T Graham Brown, Mark Wills, Carrie Underwood, Aaron Lewis​, and MANY MANY MORE of your favorites will be taking part either performing, making video appearances, or manning the phone banks.

DONATIONS: 

During the telethon, phone lines will be open at 1-866-CAREMORE and you can donate. Who knows which celebrity will be taking your donation?

You can donate online at dollywoodfoundation.org.

You can donate via mail:

My People Fund
c/o Dollywood Foundation
111 Dollywood Lane
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863.

SPREAD THE WORD ONLINE

Please help the Dollywood Foundation share the word about this effort by using the hashtags #MyPeopleFund and #someplacespecial.

DOLLY PARTON ANNOUNCES AXS TV, RFD, AND THE HEARTLAND NETWORK ADDED AS BROADCAST PARTNERS FOR SMOKY MOUNTAINS RISE TELETHON

Chris Stapleton, Chris Young, Big & Rich, Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, LOCASH, Chris Janson, Montgomery Gentry and more added to perform

USAToday.com and USA Today National Network to Live Stream Telethon

Several famous names have been added to the growing list of celebrities set to perform during Smoky Mountains Rise: A Benefit for the My People Fund on Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. (EST). Chris Stapleton, Chris Young, Big & Rich, Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant, LOCASH, Chris Janson and Montgomery Gentry are just a few of the new names added to perform during the event, which also has added three new broadcast partners, AXS TV, RFD and The Heartland Network. In addition, USAToday.com and USA Today National Networks to live stream the telethon on their affiliate newspaper websites, including all Tennessee newspaper sites Tennessean.com, Knoxnews.com, commercialappeal.com, jacksonsun.com, theleafchronicle.com, dnj.com, and others.

The nationally-broadcast, three-hour telethon seeks to raise money for the Dollywood Foundation My People Fund, established by Parton, The Dollywood Company and Parton’s dinner theaters in the wake of last week’s wildfires in the entertainment icon’s home area of Sevier County, Tennessee. Smoky Mountains Rise also will be simulcast across multiple radio chains, including iHeart Media's digital and select on-air platforms, Cumulus Media's NASH Nights LIVE, TuneIn's Country Roads channel, and several other platforms which are set to be announced shortly. All of the artists are donating their performances to help the effort.

“I’m truly honored that these artists are giving their time and energy to help us raise money for everyone affected by the wildfires,” Parton said. “I’ve got so many great friends in the industry, and I’m so proud that they were so ready to step up and help me help my people in the Smoky Mountains through this telethon and the My People Fund.”

The My People Fund will provide $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 will be eligible. A pre-application for those affected is available at dollywoodfoundation.org.

During the telethon, viewers will be asked to call 1-866-CARE MORE to donate to the My People Fund.

Anyone who would like to make a tax-deductible contribution to the My People Fund may visit dollywoodfoundation.org. For those wishing to send donations via mail, those contributions should be sent to: My People Fund, c/o Dollywood Foundation, 111 Dollywood Lane, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863.

Please help the Dollywood Foundation share the word about this effort by using the hashtags #MyPeopleFund and #someplacespecial.