Investigation Catches People Illegally Reselling Dolly Parton’s Donations To Kids

For almost 30 years, Dolly Parton has been giving back to children all over the country. In 1990, she founded the nonprofit organization Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

Through her organization, she has been giving children “free, high-quality books from birth until they begin school, no matter their family’s income.” According to the website, there have been a total of 1,412,979 children registered in the program and they have mailed over 120 million books!

Parton made a special “Thank You” video when they hit 100 million books on March 6, 2018.

But as it turns out, thanks to an investigation from Nashville’s News 4, there are people that are selling these free books online for an enormous amount. News 4 reports that on the Imagination Library’s website, selling these books are against the code of conduct.

“You agree not to do any of the following,” the site reads followed by eight restrictions, including, “Resell or otherwise commercialize any other function or feature of our Service.”

The news stations teased their investigative report on their Facebook page.

“Dolly is known for her generosity as much as her legendary music. So why did the News4 I-team find people all over the country profiting off what Dolly Parton offers — for free? You’ll see the investigation tonight on News4 at 10:00,” they wrote accompanying the video.

https://www.facebook.com/WSMVTV/videos/305493010397515/

According to News 4’s investigation, people were selling these books for upwards of $200 on Amazon!

Every book given to children are clearly marked as being Dolly’s Imagination Library books and “not for resale” as you can see in the photo below.

https://www.facebook.com/dollysimaginationlibrary/photos/a.283174158953/10156976726948954/?type=3&theater

“I had no idea that was really happening,” United Way CEO Brian Hassett said. ”Maybe let them know that this is something that really defeats the purpose of the program.”

United Way administers the books in Nashville.

Books were also found for sale on eBay, and at a used bookstore, where there were shelves of them.

See the full news report by clicking here.