Dolly Parton Receives $100 Million Courage & Civility Award From Jeff Bezos: She Brings ‘Light’ To People’s Worlds

Dolly Parton received the Bezos Courage and Civility Award worthy $100 cardinal from Jeff Bezos on Friday, November 11. Jeff and his girlfriend Lauren Sanchez presented Dolly, 76, with the grant for her humanitarian efforts. “The grant recognizes leaders who purpose high, find solutions, and ever bash it with civility,” Lauren, 52, said connected stage, earlier Jeff, 58, introduced Dolly and said that the “9 To 5” vocalist “gives with her heart” successful her “incredible” efforts to assistance others.

Dolly, who looked gorgeous successful a sparkly achromatic dress, graciously accepted the grant connected signifier earlier she delivered a little but meaningful speech. “When radical are successful presumption to help, you should help,” Dolly said to the audience. “And I cognize I’ve ever said I effort to enactment my wealth wherever my bosom is. I volition effort my champion to bash bully things with this money,” the region prima and philanthropist added.

Lauren further praised Dolly, who is the 3rd idiosyncratic to triumph this award, aft cook Jose Andrés and clime advocate Van Jones, successful an interrogation with CNN. “When you deliberation of Dolly, everyone smiles, right? She is conscionable beaming with light,” Lauren said. “And each she wants to bash is bring airy into different people’s worlds. And truthful we couldn’t person thought of idiosyncratic amended than to springiness this grant to Dolly, and we cognize she’s going to bash astonishing things with it.”

Dolly Parton; Jeff Bezos (Photo: Stephen Lovekin/Image Press Agency/NurPhoto/Shutterstock)

Dolly was honored for her longtime humanitarian efforts, which includes her $1 cardinal donation to Vanderbilt University Medical Center that helped money Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine. She besides founded the Imagination Library which has donated millions of books to underprivileged children. Dolly told People last twelvemonth that she’s “addicted to the feeling” of giving backmost to others. “Knowing that I’m doing thing bully for idiosyncratic else,” she added.