Dolly Parton’s music, acting and philanthropy made her a global icon. Her passion for early childhood literacy in underserved communities made her a Gainesville one.
Parton died Tuesday at age 80 after a brief battle with cancer.
As the world grieves the loss of the icon and visionary, the Gainesville community reflects on the example she set across generations.
Maya Gary, a 20-year-old UF international relations junior, said Parton’s philanthropy has become an integral resource for local literacy outreach.
“I think it hurts to hear that a member of the community has passed away,” Gary said. “Especially one who has had such a tangible impact on so many people's lives.”
Gary interned with Gainesville Thrives for roughly two years. The organization, which aims to expand reading and tutoring among Alachua County students, serves as the legal local affiliate for Parton’s Imagination Library. The country star founded the nonprofit in 1995 to promote early childhood literacy with monthly book distribution to children in five countries.
Gainesville Thrives distributes books received by the Imagination Library to eligible zip codes around Alachua County. Imagination Library’s resources have been critical to Gainesville Thrives’ success, Gary said.
“Early childhood literacy is something that can tend to be disregarded,” Gary said. “A lot of families might struggle accessing those resources.”
Gainesville Thrives has served as Imagination Library’s legal local affiliate since February 2021, said Yolanda Hagley, the executive director of Gainesville Thrives.
The Children’s Trust of Alachua County has been the organization’s biggest funder, but Gainesville Thrives has seen a surge of community donations following Parton’s death.
Hagley’s team was “heartbroken” to hear the news, she said, not just because of Parton’s impact but because of who she was as a person.
“We want to bring the joy of reading to our families,” Hagley said. “We do that through Dolly Parton and the joy that she had.”
Parton’s death has led to worldwide grief, Hagley said, and it’s hit communities across races and socioeconomic backgrounds. Bringing attention to Parton’s love for people despite their identity or circumstances is something the world desperately needs, she added.
Since its inception, Gainesville Thrives has served over 3,700 children and delivered over 85,000 books, Hagley said. Imagination Library as a whole has registered nearly 3.2 million children and delivered over 300 million books multinationally.
Many parents have told Hagley and her team that their child’s favorite book is from Parton’s Imagination Library collection.
“Parents report regularly that the children are so excited to get the book mailed to them in their name,” Hagley said.
Alachua County has seen an increase in literacy advocacy since Gainesville Thrives became an Imagination Library affiliate, Hagley said. With every book delivery, parents can contribute to their child’s learning experience through the “parent tips” section, where they learn how to build literacy skills using the books provided.
“Parent engagement and involvement is a strong indicator for literary success,” Hagley said.
Gainesville Thrives started hosting literacy nights three years ago to foster an environment that encourages parents to be part of their children’s reading journey. This year, the organization started offering formal literacy instruction opportunities to teach parents how to better build reading practice into their daily routines.
Parton made it a priority to ensure the Imagination Library could continue long after she was gone, Hagley said. Her team has the same prerogative.
“We collectively have an enormous job to try to fill that joy, to fill that love that she had,” she said.
That love is infused in the heart of Imagination Library, which was born out of Parton’s admiration for her illiterate father.
Meg Deal, a ceramics instructor and local artist, said Parton’s personal story is deeply woven into her legacy.
She described the wisdom Dolly imparted as a “shining light.” Parton never asked to be liked, Deal said — she was just honest.
“That authenticity … it’s so human,” Deal said. “I think that authenticity is really important.”
Parton’s humanity shined through in her brazenness when speaking about her humble upbringing in Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains, Deal said. The artist was unafraid to confront the complexities of life in the South, she said.
“She exemplified what it meant to be both a performer and a human being and with such grace and compassion for herself and for other people,” Deal said. “That’s the most meaningful thing that someone can do with their lives.”
Contact Kendall O’Connor at koconnor@alligator.org
Kendall O'Connor is a journalism senior at UF and the Fall 2026 lifestyle reporter. This is her second semester at The Alligator and first semester on The Avenue desk. Kendall loves reading, practicing yoga, making playlists and going to the movies.
