Posted on: September 19, 2025, 11:53 AM
Last updated on: September 19, 2025, 11:57 AM.
- A Virginia lottery winner is donating her winnings
- She secured $150,000 from Powerball
A lottery player from Virginia, who recently struck it rich in Powerball, has decided to share her fortune.
According to the Virginia Lottery, Carrie Edwards from Midlothian, Chester County, secured her win by matching four white balls and the red Powerball during the drawing on September 8. Midlothian is located just southwest of Richmond.
The drawn numbers were 26, 28, 41, 53, 64, with the Powerball being 9. Initially, Edwards would have received $50,000 for matching five out of six numbers. However, by opting for the $1 Power Play add-on that multiplied her winnings by three, her total prize surged to $150,000.
Upon claiming her prize, she informed the Virginia Lottery that the net earnings—after state and federal taxes—would be donated to charitable causes.
Impact of Powerball Winnings
Edwards plans to allocate her first donation towards the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, an organization focused on research, education, and support for early-onset dementia. This cause carries personal significance for Edwards, as her husband, a devoted father and firefighter, passed away from frontotemporal dementia.
“This cause is incredibly close to my heart. In recognition of World FTD Awareness Month, I want this donation to raise awareness for families facing this challenge and those advancing research for a cure. I feel blessed to share what I have with others,” Edwards shared with the state lottery.
Her subsequent contribution is directed towards Shalom Farms, a nonprofit dedicated to food justice and agriculture initiatives within Richmond. The third beneficiary of her Powerball winnings will be the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, which offers financial assistance, educational resources, and emergency support to active military personnel, veterans, and their families.
“These three organizations embody healing, service, and community,” Edwards elaborated. “Shalom Farms promotes healing through nutrition and sustainable farming, AFTD offers hope via research advancements, and the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society exemplifies the spirit of supporting military families in their time of need. I am grateful that my unexpected lottery win can be utilized for such meaningful purposes.”
While she has not disclosed whether each organization will receive equal amounts, Edwards emphasizes the importance of her contributions.
Khalid Jones, Executive Director of the Virginia Lottery, remarked that winners like Edwards contribute significantly to the commonwealth by funding public education.
“We at the Virginia Lottery are thrilled to see lottery winnings being redirected to valuable causes. When players like Ms. Edwards participate in the lottery, they are indirectly supporting K-12 public education across Virginia. That is the core mission of the lottery,” he stated.
A $40 Million Lottery Legacy
In 2013, Canadian winner Tom Crist secured a remarkable lottery jackpot worth $40 million. After a successful career as the former president and CEO of a wholesale electrical products company, he chose to donate his entire winnings to cancer research, honoring his wife who had succumbed to cancer two years prior to his win.
“I have been fortunate in life. I’ve reached a point where I can take care of myself and my children. The money doesn’t hold significance for me anymore,” Crist mentioned as he committed to donating the $40 million.
Although he wished to stay anonymous, Crist had to reveal his identity due to the lottery regulations set by the Western Canada Lottery Corporation.