Carrying On With
Her Kindness
Dolly Parton showed us that generosity can take many forms. It can open a book, open a door, help someone through a hard season, or give a person the chance to discover what they are capable of achieving.
Give Like Dolly – Middle Tennessee is an invitation to carry on with that kindness.
For three days, people across Middle Tennessee and beyond can support local organizations doing the kind of work Dolly has championed throughout her life: helping children learn and dream, caring for neighbors when they need it most, creating opportunities to heal, nurturing creativity, and putting books into the hands of young readers.
Choose What Speaks to Your Heart
Help A Child Succeed
Dolly believed deeply in the power of education to change the course of a life. From encouraging students in her hometown to stay in school to providing scholarships that helped young people pursue their dreams, she understood that talent and potential are everywhere, but opportunity is not.
Inspired by that example, Give Like Dolly supports local organizations helping children and young people overcome barriers, discover what is possible, and have the support they need to learn, thrive, and reach their full potential.
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For a child who is blind or has vision loss, learning to navigate the world begins long before the first day of school. Blind Early Services TN works alongside children from birth to age five and their families, building everyday skills, confidence, and independence during some of the most important years of development.
What does it feel like to run a business, manage a paycheck, or build a life around a dream career? Junior Achievement gives Middle Tennessee students opportunities to find out. Through hands-on experiences in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and career readiness, young people connect what they learn in school to the choices and opportunities ahead.
The first five years can shape everything that follows. McNeilly Center for Children provides high-quality, affordable early education and nurturing care for more than 150 children, many from families facing financial and other barriers to opportunity.
Summer should open doors, not widen learning gaps. Nashville Freedom School Partnership surrounds young people with six weeks of literacy, culturally rooted learning, leadership development, and joy, creating a place where children are known, celebrated, and encouraged to see what is possible for their lives.
Sometimes a young person needs to see a possibility before they can imagine it for themselves. Sankofa Achievement Center connects underserved youth with entrepreneurship, the arts, academics, mentors, and new experiences that broaden their view of what their future can hold.
Give a Child a Library of Their Own
Few things reflect Dolly’s generosity more clearly than the idea that started with a simple wish: give children books of their own and help them dream bigger about what their lives could become.
Through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Middle Tennessee, children from birth to age five receive a high-quality, age-appropriate book in the mail every month at no cost to their families. Made possible locally through a partnership among The Dollywood Foundation, Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation, and United Way of Greater Nashville, the program puts books directly into children’s hands during some of the most important years of their development.
Each book arrives addressed to the child, ready to be opened, shared, and added to a growing library of their very own. Along the way, those books give parents and caregivers more opportunities to read together, build language skills, encourage curiosity, and make stories part of everyday life.
Last year, more than 50,000 Middle Tennessee children received more than 510,000 books through the program.
12 books. A year of possibilities.
Help Someone Heal
Healing can take many forms. It can mean getting the medical care you need, finding your way through recovery, having nourishing meals during cancer treatment, receiving support after an unimaginable loss, or having the resources to live a healthy life with HIV.
Dolly has long understood the importance of showing up for people when life gets hard. Inspired by that spirit of compassion, Give Like Dolly supports local organizations helping people across Middle Tennessee find care, comfort, strength, and a path forward.
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For people without health insurance, even routine medical care can feel out of reach. Dickson Community Clinic provides affordable primary care for uninsured and TennCare patients in Dickson and surrounding rural communities, while also helping people access medications, specialists, lab testing, and imaging.
Recovery often begins with having somewhere to go and people who understand. Friendship House provides a welcoming, sober space for more than 50 Alcoholics Anonymous meetings each week, giving people working toward sobriety a community where they can find connection, encouragement, and support.
When someone is facing cancer, preparing healthy meals can become one more burden for patients and the people caring for them. The Heimerdinger Foundation’s Meals 4 Health and Healing program prepares and delivers more than 1,000 free, nutrient-dense meals each week, bringing healthy food and a caring connection directly to families’ doors.
There are some losses no family should have to navigate alone. The Magnolia Foundation supports Tennessee parents after the death of a child, helping with immediate needs such as funeral expenses and counseling while continuing to remember families in the years that follow.
For people living with HIV, health can depend on much more than a doctor’s appointment. Nashville CARES brings medical care together with practical support, including access to medications, fresh food, mental health counseling, housing and utility assistance, insurance navigation, and employment resources.
Give a Child a Library of Their Own
Few things reflect Dolly’s generosity more clearly than the idea that started with a simple wish: give children books of their own and help them dream bigger about what their lives could become.
Through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Middle Tennessee, children from birth to age five receive a high-quality, age-appropriate book in the mail every month at no cost to their families. Made possible locally through a partnership among The Dollywood Foundation, Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation, and United Way of Greater Nashville, the program puts books directly into children’s hands during some of the most important years of their development.
Each book arrives addressed to the child, ready to be opened, shared, and added to a growing library of their very own. Along the way, those books give parents and caregivers more opportunities to read together, build language skills, encourage curiosity, and make stories part of everyday life.
Last year, more than 50,000 Middle Tennessee children received more than 510,000 books through the program.
12 books. A year of possibilities.
Help a Neighbor In Need
Sometimes life changes in an instant. A storm destroys a home. A family faces an unexpected crisis. Someone comes home ready to begin again. A young parent works to build a more stable future.
Dolly has long shown what it means to notice when a neighbor needs a hand and then find a way to help. Inspired by that spirit, Give Like Dolly supports local organizations stepping in with shelter, stability, essential resources, and a path forward when people across Middle Tennessee need it most.
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When disaster strikes, the first needs are often the most basic: a safe place to stay, something to eat, and the reassurance that help has arrived. The American Red Cross of Tennessee River responds to emergencies and disasters across the region while also supporting military families and helping maintain the lifesaving blood supply our communities depend on.
Starting over takes more than a second chance. Dismas House welcomes formerly incarcerated neighbors with safe housing, meals, transportation, employment support, and other essentials as they work toward stability and independence. Just as important, they find a community willing to believe in what comes next.
Pregnancy and parenthood can make staying in school especially difficult when safe housing and basic necessities are uncertain. Ella’s House surrounds pregnant and parenting scholars with housing, essential resources, and individualized support so they can continue their education while caring for their children.
For someone experiencing housing loss, domestic violence, a natural disaster, or another crisis, worrying about a beloved pet can make an already difficult situation even harder. Pawster provides temporary foster care so pets have a safe place to stay while their people focus on finding safety and stability.
A safe, stable home can change what is possible for a family. Upper Cumberland Habitat for Humanity builds affordable homes and makes critical repairs for homeowners across Putnam, Overton, White, and DeKalb counties, helping families stay safely in the homes and communities they love.
Give a Child a Library of Their Own
Few things reflect Dolly’s generosity more clearly than the idea that started with a simple wish: give children books of their own and help them dream bigger about what their lives could become.
Through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Middle Tennessee, children from birth to age five receive a high-quality, age-appropriate book in the mail every month at no cost to their families. Made possible locally through a partnership among The Dollywood Foundation, Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation, and United Way of Greater Nashville, the program puts books directly into children’s hands during some of the most important years of their development.
Each book arrives addressed to the child, ready to be opened, shared, and added to a growing library of their very own. Along the way, those books give parents and caregivers more opportunities to read together, build language skills, encourage curiosity, and make stories part of everyday life.
Last year, more than 50,000 Middle Tennessee children received more than 510,000 books through the program.
12 books. A year of possibilities.
Help Someone Find Their Song
Dolly found her voice early and spent a lifetime using it to tell stories, bring people together, and make the world a little brighter. She also understood that creativity grows when someone is given the opportunity to discover it.
Inspired by that example, Give Like Dolly supports local organizations opening doors to music, dance, theatre, and creative expression. Because sometimes finding your song means writing one. Sometimes it happens on a stage or in a dance studio. And sometimes it simply means discovering a talent, a voice, or a part of yourself you did not know was there.
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Dance can give a young person much more than steps to learn. At 4.0 Movement Studios, girls find opportunities to express themselves, develop their talents, and grow within a community that encourages them to see themselves as capable, creative, and powerful.
Imagine sharing a song you wrote for the first time and watching the room respond. At Girls Write Nashville, young people come together to write songs, produce music, and take creative risks surrounded by peers and mentors who are ready to listen. In the process, they build confidence, connection, and a stronger belief in their own voice.
For many children, a field trip to Nashville Children’s Theatre is their first experience with live theatre. Professional performances, classes, and in-school programs invite young people into new worlds where they can imagine, create, see life through someone else’s eyes, and discover possibilities for themselves.
In rural communities where access to music education can be limited, The Quest Center creates a place for children to learn, play, and belong. Young people, including children with disabilities, have opportunities to make music while developing confidence, discipline, creativity, and the skills that help them succeed well beyond the classroom.
Long before there was a stage, there were words on a page. Through the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Words & Music program, students learn the craft of lyric writing while exploring their own ideas, feelings, and stories. Their words can even be paired with professional songwriters who bring those lyrics to life through music.
Give a Child a Library of Their Own
Few things reflect Dolly’s generosity more clearly than the idea that started with a simple wish: give children books of their own and help them dream bigger about what their lives could become.
Through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Middle Tennessee, children from birth to age five receive a high-quality, age-appropriate book in the mail every month at no cost to their families. Made possible locally through a partnership among The Dollywood Foundation, Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation, and United Way of Greater Nashville, the program puts books directly into children’s hands during some of the most important years of their development.
Each book arrives addressed to the child, ready to be opened, shared, and added to a growing library of their very own. Along the way, those books give parents and caregivers more opportunities to read together, build language skills, encourage curiosity, and make stories part of everyday life.
Last year, more than 50,000 Middle Tennessee children received more than 510,000 books through the program.
12 books. A year of possibilities.
However You Choose to Give
You can help a child learn. Bring comfort to someone going through a difficult season. Help a neighbor get back on their feet. Give a young person room to create. Put a year's worth of books into a child's hands. Every gift carries the same idea forward:
We take care of one another.
Below are some of the numbers that showcase how Middle Tennessee is stepping up and Carrying On Her Kindness this Dolly Day.
Frequently Asked
Give Like Dolly – Middle Tennessee is a three-day giving campaign inspired by Dolly Parton’s lifelong example of generosity. From September 25–27, donors can choose the giving area that speaks to them: helping a child succeed, helping someone heal, helping a neighbor in need, helping someone find their song, or supporting Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Middle Tennessee.
Gifts to each giving area will be shared equally among the highlighted nonprofits within that area.
Give Like Dolly – Middle Tennessee is presented by Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and Music Community Foundation, with support from The Dollywood Foundation, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, and Office of Mayor Freddie O’Connell.
You can give to any of five giving areas:
- Help a Child Succeed, helping students stay engaged in school, overcome barriers, and reach their full potential.
- Help Someone Heal, helping people find care, healing, and hope during some of life’s hardest moments.
- Help a Neighbor in Need, putting food on the table, helping families stay housed, and offering a hand up when it is needed most.
- Help Someone Find Their Song, helping young people discover their gifts through music, the arts, and creativity.
- Give a Child a Library of Their Own, putting free books into the hands of young children through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Middle Tennessee.
Give Like Dolly is designed around giving areas rather than individual nonprofit gifts. For four of the five giving areas, your gift is shared equally among the highlighted nonprofits within the area you choose, supporting several organizations working toward the same goal and introducing donors to organizations they may not already know.
The fifth giving area, Give a Child a Library of Their Own, directly supports Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Middle Tennessee. Gifts to that area are not shared among multiple nonprofits.
If there is one nonprofit you would especially like to support, you can always give to it directly.
More than 550 nonprofits applied during an open application period. Every participating nonprofit was confirmed to be a 501(c)(3) public charity in good standing that provides direct services to people in Middle Tennessee, with a current GivingMatters.com profile and work that fits one of the four open giving areas. Applications were reviewed for eligibility only. Because each area features five nonprofits, participants were chosen by drawing from the eligible organizations in each area, with at least three coming from organizations with annual budgets under $5 million.
No. Being part of Give Like Dolly – Middle Tennessee is an opportunity for nonprofits to benefit from the campaign. It does not represent an endorsement by Dolly Parton or The Dollywood Foundation.
No. CFMT does not keep any portion of your gift and does not charge an administrative fee. CFMT receives and processes all Give Like Dolly donations on behalf of the participating organizations, which is why CFMT - Give Like Dolly Fund appears on your tax receipt, and then distributes the funds to the nonprofits in the giving area you chose.
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I chose to Give Like Dolly and carry her kindness forward. You can too. Give to a cause you care about at Giving9to5.com. #DollyDayNashville