Trending
For most people, a $150,000 lottery win would mean paying off debts, planning a vacation, or setting aside funds for the future. But for Carrie Edwards, a widow, grandmother, and lifelong Virginian, the windfall meant something else entirely. The chance to give it all away.
Edwards recently matched four of the first five numbers plus the Powerball in the September 8 drawing, boosting her prize to $150,000 by paying the extra $1 for a Power Play. Yet when she walked into Virginia Lottery headquarters to claim her check, she had already made up her mind.
"I knew I needed to give it all away," Edwards said at a news conference. "Because I've been so blessed, and I want this to be an example of how other people, when they're blessed, can bless other people."
Not all competitions promise life-changing sums, of course. Many everyday players look to smaller, themed contests or "mystery box" giveaways. Sites like bestcompetitions.com gather some of the most interesting competitions available, including prize draws where winners can end up with unique, surprising, or even quirky rewards. For some, these contests are less about the value of the prize and more about using it to help others, as Edwards did.
She divided the prize evenly among three organizations close to her heart. The Association Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD) received $50,000 in honor of her late husband, a firefighter who passed away from the disease. Another $50,000 went to Shalom Farms, a Richmond-based nonprofit that grows and distributes hundreds of thousands of healthy meals each year to families in need. The final portion was donated to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, which provides financial and emergency support to military families--a cause Edwards said reflects her own upbringing in a Navy household.
"We all are responsible for helping each other in this life and helping the community," Edwards told reporters.
Leaders of all three groups praised Edwards's decision. Susan Dickerson, CEO of the AFTD, called the donation a "vital boost" for research and family support programs. Änna Ibrahim, executive director of Shalom Farms, said the gift would help expand food access across the Richmond area. And Lt. Gen. Robert R. Ruark of the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society noted that the contribution would "aid service members and their loved ones during times of financial stress."
Lottery officials, who often see winners spend lavishly or quietly pocket their earnings, said Edwards's act stood out. "Very rarely do we have winners do what Carrie is doing here," a Virginia Lottery spokesperson remarked.
Her decision also joins a short but inspiring list of lottery winners who have given their fortunes away. In 2019, a South Carolina woman anonymously donated millions from her record $1.5 billion Mega Millions jackpot to causes like tornado relief and children's charities. Canadian winner Bob Erb, after netting $25 million in 2012, reportedly gave away about $8 million in his first year, funding everything from dental care to local infrastructure projects.
Stories like Edwards's highlight how winnings, whether massive jackpots or modest prizes, can ripple outward to affect entire communities. While few will ever beat the astronomical 1-in-292 million odds of a Powerball jackpot, millions of Americans continue to enter everything from state lotteries to online giveaways.
For Edwards, the decision was both personal and spiritual. Losing her husband to dementia left her determined to support research for families facing the same battle. Her commitment to food access reflects her concern for health and equity in her community. And her support for military families honors both her family's history and her belief in service.
Though her $150,000 prize has already been handed over to charities, Edwards insists she feels richer than ever. "It's a blessing," she said, "to be able to serve a greater purpose."