Dolly Parton made a significant $1 million donation to Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2020, which helped fund the development of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. She also donated $1 million to the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt in honor of her niece and another $1 million for pediatric infectious disease research. Following the 2016 Great Smoky Mountains wildfires, her "My People Fund" raised and distributed approximately $9 million, providing financial aid to over 900 affected families.