Virginia Lottery Winner Donates Entire Powerball Prize to Charity, Military Families
Posted on: September 19, 2025, 11:53h.
Last updated on: September 19, 2025, 11:57h.
- A lottery player in Virginia is giving her prize away
- The woman won $150K playing Powerball
A woman in Virginia who won a major Powerball prize earlier this month is giving it all away.
The Virginia Lottery reports that Carrie Edwards, of Midlothian, Chester County, matched four of the five white balls, plus the red Powerball, during the game’s September 8 drawing. Midlothian is just southwest of the Richmond capital.
The winning numbers from that draw were 26, 28, 41, 53, 64, and the Powerball was 9. For matching five of the six drawn numbers, Edwards was to receive $50K, Powerball’s third-highest prize tier. But because she had also purchased the $1 add-on Power Play, and the Power Play landed on 3x, her prize was tripled to $150K.
After redeeming the prize, she told Virginia Lottery officials that she was giving the net sum, after federal and state taxes, to charity.
Powerball Winnings
Edwards said the first gift will go to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, which supports research, education, and family resources for early-onset dementia. Edwards’ husband, a father and firefighter, died of frontotemporal dementia.
This cause is deeply personal. 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,” Edwards told the state lottery.
Her next donation will go to Shalom Farms, a nonprofit farm and food justice organization in Richmond. Edwards’ third contribution with her Powerball proceeds will go to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, which provides financial, educational, and emergency assistance to active-duty service members, veterans, and their families.
These three organizations represent healing, service, and community,” Edwards continued. “Shalom Farms heals through food and soil, AFTD brings hope through research, and Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society carries forward the tradition of supporting military families in times of need. I feel blessed that this unexpected lottery win could serve a greater purpose.”
Edwards didn’t say if the three beneficiaries would receive equal gifts.
Virginia Lottery Executive Director Khalid Jones said Edwards and anyone else playing the lottery are helping the commonwealth through the funding of public education.
“All of us at the Virginia Lottery are delighted to see this prize being shared with worthy causes. By playing the lottery, Ms. Edwards and all other Virginia Lottery players support K-12 public education in the commonwealth. That’s why the lottery exists,” said
$40M Lottery Gift
In 2013, Canadian Tom Crist hit a lottery jackpot worth $40 million. A retired former president and CEO of an electrical products and services wholesale company that was sold for $1.14 billion a year earlier, Crist opted to donate the entire jackpot to cancer research. His wife died from cancer two years before he won.
I’ve been fortunate enough. I did very well. I’ve done enough that I can look after myself and my kids. I don’t really need that money,” Crist said in giving the $40 million fortune away.
Crist said he asked to remain anonymous, but the lottery law for the Western Canada Lottery Corporation required him to make his identity public.
Last Comment ( 1 )
In these very challenging times it's refreshing to read a story like this. The beauty and generosity that resides inside the heart of Carrie Edwards is beyond any trite words I could muster. I would, however, be a bit concerned if I was Virginia Lottery Executive Director Khalid Jones. Nowhere in this Press Release did I see praise for the Orange God and all of the prosperity he has delivered to the 1%!!