Dolly Parton left behind plenty of songs, characters, businesses, and rhinestones.
She also left more than 300 million books in children's homes from birth to age five.
Her Imagination Library, founded in 1995 in honor of her father, now mails books to millions across five countries.
Parton died on August 25 at age 80, and the Dollywood Foundation has set September 25 as the first annual Give Like Dolly Day.
The date also ties in Dolly's famous hit song, "9 to 5."
The day asks people to support local Imagination Library partners and other organizations helping children in their communities.
"For Dolly, giving was always personal and from her heart," Jeff Conyers, The Dollywood Foundation president, said in a press release.
"She always felt if you are in a position to help, you should help."
Brands are now creating different ways to join in, from renaming a pair of jeans to donating the day's income from a Nashville honky-tonk.
Here are seven brands honoring the first Dolly Day that show how a cause can become part of a legacy people can participate in.
1. American Eagle
American Eagle is donating all proceeds from two products to The Dollywood Foundation on September 25.
The retailer renamed its Super High-Waisted Flare Jean the Dolly Jean for the day.
It is also selling a Dolly Parton graphic tee as an online-exclusive product.
The promotion makes the purchase part of the contribution, giving shoppers a direct connection between the product and the cause.
2. Garth Brooks' Friends in Low Places
Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood are donating all September 25 sales from Friends in Low Places Bar & Honky-Tonk.
Proceeds will go to Nashville Public Library and the Imagination Library.
"Whatever the cash register says at the end of the day is going to Dolly's passion," Yearwood said.
"This is 100% about Dolly and her love for children's literacy."
The Nashville venue will also accept book donations throughout the day and plans to make Dolly Day an annual tradition.
The purpose-driven activation gives customers a reason to make their visit part of the donation.
3. Kroger Ohio
Kroger asks shoppers to round up their purchases for the Imagination Library.
The retailer will match the customer contribution in support of the cause.
Checkout giving keeps participation close to an existing shopping habit, which can reduce the effort required to contribute.
4. Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum
The Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum is donating $9.25 from each admission to the Imagination Library.
The $9.25 figure connects the museum visit to the September 25 date.
The campaign also links Dolly's music legacy with the literacy program she created for children.
5. The Protein Bar & Kitchen
Protein Bar is offering a limited-edition shake with edible glitter on September 25.
The chain will donate 25% of all sales that day to the Imagination Library.
For one day only, the "Dolly Shake" gives customers a way to participate and keeps the fundraiser tied to the brand's identity.
Taken together, the eight activations give Dolly Day a wide range of entry points, from retail purchases and restaurant visits to museum admissions and checkout donations.
6. Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams
Jeni's is making the afternoon count by donating 25% of in-shop sales from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at its locations today.
The fundraiser limits consumers to a specific time while offering the company peak foot traffic.
The advertising model shows how a defined sales window can give a cause campaign a simple reason to act.
7. Jack's Family Restaurants
Jack's is offering two small milkshakes for $5 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The timing takes its cues from Parton's "9 to 5" and gives customers a familiar purchase tied to the day.
The Jack's Family Fund will donate 10% of milkshake sales to the Imagination Library.
300 Million Books Delivered and Counting
The Imagination Library has gifted more than 300 million books since 1995.
Each month, books are mailed to children under five in the U.S., Canada, the UK, Australia, and the Republic of Ireland.
Thousands of local Imagination Library partners fund and support the program in their communities.
This gives the international initiative a local operating structure.
Brands participating, or watching, the inaugural Give Like Dolly Day can learn these key takeaways:
- A clear cause gives CSR a recognizable identity. Companies should connect giving to a specific mission to make participation easier for customers to understand.
- Existing behaviors can make giving easier. Companies should attach donations to purchases, admissions, or checkout actions to reduce friction around participation.
- Local partners can expand audience reach. Companies should support community organizations with established relationships to reach people who already care about the issue.
Dolly's model gives brands a rare combination of celebrity recognition, a specific cause, and a system that already reaches millions.
Our Take: Will More Brands Join Dolly Day Next Year?
More brands could join in 2027 if Dolly Day becomes a reliable annual giving date.
The first year gives companies an unusually strong cultural reference.
But the cause has enough substance and weight from Dolly's legacy to support future participation.
We should watch whether brands keep the focus on books and children as participation grows.
Her literacy work came from a personal family story, then developed into a system with measurable reach.
More participation could help the Imagination Library reach new audiences and enter new countries.
But the day will have greater staying power if reading remains its focus.
The strongest legacy campaigns give people something useful to keep doing after the celebrity tribute ends.
Give Like Dolly Day can keep growing if brands help put more books into more homes.
Its debut also raises questions about how celebrity legacies become enduring brand assets.
Ted Turner's branding legacy explores similar territory where a public figure's work can continue influencing brands after their lifetime.
Brands looking to connect purpose with customer participation can explore these top cause marketing agencies.
