Walmart teams up with Dolly Parton, donates $10M to hurricane relief
Walmart’s efforts to remediate the damage caused by Hurricane Helene include a partnership with a living country music legend.
Walmart, Sam’s Club and the Walmart Foundation are increasing their commitment to $10 million, up from $6 million, to support time-sensitive relief efforts across communities impacted by Hurricane Helene in Georgia, Florida, North and South Carolina and Tennessee.
Since Hurricane Helene made landfall in the U.S. Sept. 26, 2024, Walmart says it has been working around the clock with local authorities and relief organizations to assess needs and deliver critical aid to nearly 100 communities across the area.
The discount giant has also joined Tennessee native and country music star Dolly Parton in efforts to provide Helene relief. Parton appeared at a Walmart store in Tennessee and is making a $1 million donation to the Mountain Ways Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) dedicated to providing assistance to Hurricane Helene flood victims.
Specific to Eastern Tennessee, the Walmart Foundation is making a grant to the East Tennessee Foundation. Walmart and Sam’s Club have provided water donations to local organizations and resources such as food and hot meals, water distributions, showers and laundry in Walmart parking lots in Newport, Elizabethton and Greeneville, Tenn.
In addition, Parton’s East Tennessee businesses — Dollywood Parks & Resorts, Dolly Parton’s Stampede, and Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show — as well as The Dollywood Foundation are combining efforts and have pledged to match her donation to Mountain Ways with a $1 million contribution of their own.
Walmart previously collaborated with Parton on "Dolly Parton's Rockin' New Baking Collection," a special edition consumable item provided with early access to members of the Walmart+ paid membership program in an exclusive online sale.
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“These are special people here; they’re my people,” Parton said. “I feel like all people are my people, but everyone here grew up in the mountains just like I did so of course I have a close connection to them. I can’t stand to see anyone hurting, so I wanted to do what I could to help after these terrible floods. I hope we can all be a little bit of light in the world for our friends, our neighbors — even strangers — during this dark time they are experiencing."
In addition, essential resources such as charging stations, food and hot meals, water distributions, showers and laundry are available at many store parking lots across Appalachia and the Southeast. An updated list of resources available in the affected communities is here.
The company has also been connecting with associates to provide evacuation assistance, support pay and essentials like food, showers and laundry, as well as mental health resources.
As part of the $10 million commitment, Walmart and Sam’s Club launched a nationwide customer campaign, matched customer and member donations at checkout to the American Red Cross to $2.5 million. Fundraising for the American Red Cross will continue at Walmart and Sam’s Club stores and on Walmart.com through Sunday, Oct. 13.
"These aren’t just places where we have stores, these are communities where we work and live, and our hearts are broken for our friends and neighbors," said John Furner, president and CEO, Walmart U.S. "This is one of the most widespread and destructive storms I’ve seen in my 31 years with Walmart. But I’ve also seen over 31 years that Walmart associates always step up when needed. We’ll support people and communities until they’ve recovered."
