Virginia grandmother donates entire $150,000 Powerball win to charity

Virginia grandmother Carrie Edwards donated her full $150,000 Powerball prize to 3 charities supporting dementia research, food equity, and military families.

A Virginia grandmother turned her Powerball win into a gift for others. According to Local12, Carrie Edwards won $150,000 in the Virginia Lottery’s September 8 draw and gave every dollar away. She split the prize between three organizations tied to her family, her community, and her past.

Carrie Edwards from Virginia donates entire $150,000 Powerball win to charities(Unsplash)

Edwards said she first learned of the win while sitting in a meeting. “I look at my phone, it says, ‘Please collect your lottery winnings.’ So I go home and log into my account, and it says you won the Monday, September 8 draw for $50,000 and you had the 3x multiplier, and so you won $150,000,” she recalled.

Where the money went

The first share went to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration. Edwards lost her husband to the illness last year. The second went to Shalom Farms, a Richmond nonprofit focused on food access, where she already volunteers. The third share went to the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society, reflecting her own Navy family upbringing.

“As soon as that divine windfall happened and came down upon my shoulders, I knew exactly what I needed to do with it and I knew I needed to give it all away,” Edwards said.

Praise from the charities

Representatives from each group expressed shock and gratitude. One said, “She does so much for us already that I just couldn’t believe it when she said I was just so excited.”

Another added, “When there is only less than 20 people working at your org, this kind of gift is huge. It means more fresh fruits and vegetables in more shoppers’ bags across the city.”

Her message for others

For Edwards, the decision came down to responsibility. “When it comes down to it, we all are responsible for helping each other in this life. Helping the community and helping those who don’t have what we have is something that they are focused on,” she said.

She hopes her choice will encourage others to think differently about sudden blessings. “I want this to be an example of how other people, when they are blessed, can bless other people,” she said.

FAQs

Who won the $150,000 Virginia Powerball prize?

Carrie Edwards a grandmother from Virginia.

How much of her winnings did she donate?

She gave away the full $150,000 prize.

Which charities received the donations?

AFTD, Shalom Farms, and the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society.