Carrie Edwards of Chesterfield, Virginia, won $150-thousand in the September 8th Powerball drawing after matching four of the first five numbers plus the Powerball. Normally a $50-thousand prize, her winnings were tripled because she added the $1 Power Play option. When she received her prize on Tuesday, she immediately chose to donate the entire amount to three charities.
Her first $50-thousand donation went to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, in honor of her late husband, Steve, who died from the disorder. “This cause is deeply personal,” Edwards says, explaining that she wanted her gift to bring attention to families battling early-onset dementia during World FTD Awareness Month.
The second donation went to Shalom Farms, a nonprofit focused on food justice in Richmond, and the third supported the Navy-Marine Relief Society, which aids service members, veterans, and their families. Edwards says these organizations represent “healing, service, and community” and hopes her actions will inspire others, saying, “I feel blessed that this unexpected lottery win can serve a greater purpose.”
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