Virginia woman gives $150,000 Powerball win to charity
Amidst all the talk of billion-dollar Powerball winners this month, Carrie Edwards’ $150,000 win might not seem especially impressive. But for a number of charitable groups , there couldn’t have been a better choice.
Edwards, a widow and grandmother who lives in Virginia, according to lottery officials, has decided to give away all of her winnings rather than spending them on something for herself . The money was split between a dementia research facility and groups that provide food access and support for military families.
Edwards had a ticket in hand for the Powerball drawing on Sept. 8., the week after two winners split the $1.79 billion prize. She managed to match four of the first five numbers along with the Powerball, said lottery officials. Because she had bought a $3 ticket instead of a $2 one, that increased her winnings from $50,000 to $150,000.
Once she saw she had won, she said, she knew what she wanted to do.
“I knew I needed to give it all away,” Edwards said . “God is blessing me, so I can bless others.”
Edwards said this was the first time she had purchased a lottery ticket online.
The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD), Shalom Farms, and the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society will each receive $50,000. The AFTD charity is one that’s especially meaningful for Edwards; her husband, a firefighter, passed away from FTD, a type of early-onset dementia.
“This cause is deeply personal,” said Carrie. “During World FTD Awareness Month, I wanted this gift to shine a light on the families who are fighting this disease and on the researchers working toward a cure. God is blessing me, so I can bless others through Him. After all, we are all just walking each other Home.”
Shalom Farms is a nonprofit farm and food justice organization working for an equitable food system in Richmond, VA. The Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society provides financial, educational, and emergency assistance to active-duty service members, veterans, and their families.