How much of your lotto winnings would you give away?
For any story that hurts Canada’s rep on the global scale – like, according to investment guru Kevin O’Leary at least, our government’s blocking of BHP’s bid for PotashCorp – thank God for Allen and Violet Large.
You’ve no doubt heard by now about the Larges, a Nova Scotia couple in their 70s who gave away nearly all of their $11.2 million Lotto 6/49 winnings. Ninety-eight per cent, to be exact, according to the Star.
For their generosity, the big-hearted elderly pair has received international praise – their story’s appeared in the U.S. and U.K. already – but it also raises an interesting question: if you won the lotto, how much of your winnings would you give away?
Certainly, handing out a chunk of your jackpot would be nothing new. When I was a newspaper reporter attending lottery winners’ press conferences, the first thing lucky Canadians would announce – to appease the cameras or not – is their intention to give part of their payout to charity.
Yet 98 per cent is a pretty whopping figure, making what the Larges did – giving an undisclosed, equal sum to their family members, then the rest to local churches, fire departments, hospitals and the Red Cross – commendable by any measure.
Commendable, and also genuinely modest. As if they couldn’t endear themselves to the world any further, the couple said the two per cent they did keep ($224,000 before tax) is just for a “rainy day.”
Not all of us would be as generous as the Larges, surely, but most would probably donate at least a little of their winnings – 76 per cent of this CBC poll said they would – to charities and worthwhile causes.
If you won the lottery, what percentage of your jackpot would you give away?
By Jason Buckland, MSN Money
Posted by: K | Nov 5, 2021 7:40:55 AM
Depending on the amount - if it were the recent 50 million plus - probably give away about 80% the rest would cover our family, our kids, for the rest of our lives - there would be no need for any more!
Posted by: Ewa | Nov 5, 2021 9:20:25 AM
I would give away 100% of what I won but the chances of me winning are rather slim since I almost never buy lottery ticket. I believe that God provides with what we need (not want :-) but need).
God bless everyone
Posted by: George Bushy | Nov 5, 2021 9:27:05 AM
I would give nothing to charity because most of the charity donation goes in the pockets
of "Consultants". Recent reporting shows that anywhere from 27 percent to 73 percent of
donation goes to the consultants pocket.
So before donating, think where your money is going. Most likely it is going NOT where
you want it to go.
Posted by: trueblue | Nov 5, 2021 10:13:50 AM
For myself I would invest the vast majority and from the interest I would give to some charities. I too would be very wary about giving to any charity of which any percentage would go to any kind of consultant or company. While the very generous Larges gave some of their winnings to some individuals the chances are that cash went to purchasing new cars etc. and there it is gone. I think they could have done more with the interest from investing the whole amount.
Posted by: randy | Nov 5, 2021 11:06:36 AM
I would give some to friends and family, give some money DIRECTLY to a good cause, meaning I will put the money where it needs to go not some charity consultants hands. Charities cant be trusted, too many squander a large portion of the money on salaries and bonuses, the bottom line is the least of their worries.
Posted by: soaringeagles.ca | Nov 5, 2021 1:17:08 PM
During the time of the bad disaster in Pakistan I prayed: God I will buy a 7/49 lotto ticket; whatever
I win 100% will go for help through World Vision. I really won $ 125.50 and gave it all away; if it
were the $ 50 Mill. as promised all would go into donation.
Psalm 23 says...the Lord is my shepherd I shall not want...
and that is really true in my life, thanks God!
Posted by: Michelle | Nov 5, 2021 1:34:01 PM
This is a tough subject. I'm sure that we could all say that we would be ready to hand over piles of money, but when it comes down to it, would we really? I've considered the breakdown often and am still debating what I would keep and what I would give away. The equation changes all the time I think about it. On the whole, 50% would be given away.
Posted by: Debbie - Calgary | Nov 5, 2021 2:14:43 PM
I have thought about this several times. If I were to win the lottery, the only thing I would do for our immediate family is pay off our mortgage (not very much) finish our basement, upgrade our vehicles, and invest in our kids' RESP's. I would pay off every one of our family members' mortgages, and a couple of people's mortgages that I used to work with (a few have a real struggle making payments)
THEN, I would go to the poorest part of Calgary and start handing out $1000 Walmart gift cards, or just take them on a shopping spree and pay for all their purchases.
A couple of really nice waitresses who have always been wonderful to my family would get new cars, and I would personally fly to places like Haiti with supplies and hand them out myself.
I would give a large amount to our aging church (my grandparents were married there in 1945) so they could completely renovate.
Basically, I would spend a big chunk just on random acts of kindness :) Because then you actually get to see love at work :)
Posted by: Debbie - Calgary | Nov 5, 2021 2:18:05 PM
And PS Everyone... with millions of dollars, you could personally change the world for many people. It would be called getting off your fanny and actually doing the work as opposed to writing an organization a cheque. :)
And PPSS
It's 649 ;) Not 749
Posted by: Dean | Nov 5, 2021 3:04:26 PM
I would put some into a interest account and a couple times a year go buy a truck load of food and give to the food bank. Been doing this on a smaller scale every Christmas. No need to give money that doesn't always end up where it should. With food, it only has 1 use.
Posted by: Guy | Nov 5, 2021 4:07:25 PM
I would keep it all, because I'm greedy.
Posted by: Rachelle | Nov 5, 2021 4:54:45 PM
I would first and foremost start by helping family and friends, who in turn will be able to pay it forward to whom ever they decide. Once that is done of course start branching out to the rest of our local community (Calgary) and do the same as the other peson who wrote in.....random acts of kindness. Whether that be finding that someone in the grocery store who looks like they are trying to spend $20 on a few days of food, to just paying attention to the people you see on your daily outings. For the most part I think it would be important for myself and family to form an organization that we VOLUNTEER OUR TIME ONLY to reach out to those in need. I have been a single mother at one point and completely understand the lonliness and depression that comes with that and would hope to touch those and change their lives forever.
Now of course the rest of the world is needing help as well, butthat would be up to my family and friends as a whole to decide what the plan would look like for that. I would hope to get as much input from friends and family for this part since as a group, we can do so much more! Love to all and remember to be kind to one another.
Rachelle
Posted by: Roland Thunder | Nov 5, 2021 6:53:32 PM
I cant believe some of the posts saying they would not give any to charities as they feel the people who need it don't get it...I give my previous winter coat away every year when I buy a new one, I do not send it to some church bazaar, I take my jacket out on the street and look for a homeless person who is under dressed for the winter and personally give them my coat and a few bucks.
If I won a big lotto I would take the money and give it directly to the people who need it most, sure some would use it for booze and drugs, but others would use it as a hand up and possibly put themselves in a better place.
Posted by: T S-D | Nov 5, 2021 7:51:26 PM
This is something that I've dreamed about being able to do for years! I would give away most of any win to charity, but NOT just hand them the cheque. Our family would like to actually physically USE THE MONEY TO GO ABROAD TO IMPOVERISHED COMMUNITIES AND BUILD HOMES, SCHOOLS, HOSPITALS, WELLS, ETC. As well as visiting children-in-need personally to deliver food-aid, and basic necessities of life. There could be no greater thrill than meeting the people behind the lives that you've changed! Our prefered charities would be SOS Children's Villages, & Free the Children. At home, we would love to go on a shopping spree for Santa's Anonymous, and help to deliver the presents to local families ourselves. I know that you can't meet every person that you're going to help, but you can meet a good portion, and enough to know that your lottery win was a whole lot more valuable than the win that was spent on a Mansion in Miami!
Posted by: E Santos | Nov 5, 2021 8:34:06 PM
If I won lottery I would put my kids through college and help my family and friends first. I would not give money to charities. I believe they are growing way to big and I don't believe the money goes to help anybody that it should anymore. I would try to help our local poor like me and I would help people on the reserve install proper water system so they have at least the basics needed in life.
Posted by: Andrew | Nov 5, 2021 10:30:58 PM
Like some others have stated on here I have thought about this many times. I have multiples lists, written and re-written with the names of family and friends and how much money I would give to them. I WOULD give to some charities - like "Ryan's Well" - but I would also use my money to create my own initiatives to help those in need - particularly in my community...who knows maybe one or two of those initiatives work out well and can become a blue print of sorts for others. I'm still what would be considered young so unlike others I would not GIVE ALL or most of my money away, certainly not right away. If I had won this past 50M jackpot I probably would have given approximately 50% away to family and friends immediately and the rest I would use to live and to fund and support what would become my ongoing and continued humanitarian endeavors for the remainder of my life. There are plenty of good organizations out there, but with that kind of funding and my age, I feel like I could do a lot of good with that money and help a lot of people over my life time.
Posted by: Anne Heyes | Nov 5, 2021 10:41:01 PM
What has the Potash deal got to do with the lovely couple in Nova Scotia !! Better to keep some Canadian companies Canadian - the government did the right thing - had they not then the new company would put the other two out of business
I would pay off my debts, help family and friends and invest some. I know (personally) some animal rescue groups and they would get a big chunk. I would buy an island and take in as many abused and abandoned animals as possible. I would hire a few young people who would do most of the physical work with the animals. And I would endeavour to find them good homes. As far as childrens charities I would give a large amount to the CKNW Orphans Fund and to the CHQR Childrens Fund as I know 100% of the money goes to children. I also personally know people in Vancouver and Calgary who do direct work with the poor and they would be funded as well.
Posted by: God | Nov 5, 2021 10:55:33 PM
I would give nothing either. There is no God so anyone quoting that crap can shut it. People who don't have money had a chance to make something of their lives, and blew it. Anyone and everyone can go to school/get loans to get through school.Having said that, there are few cases of people who just had crappy luck, and I would perhaps help those people out. The rest would go towards proving the theory of evolution to prove once and for all that religeon is crap.
Posted by: Angeline | Nov 5, 2021 11:46:33 PM
I don't think anyone can even come close to commenting on this, even though we all have our assumptions....I for one, would love to contribute to my family, friends, social networks for the good of Humanity, but, I suppose I will have to be lucky to appreciate ever having to win it!!! LOL, God Bless All who share!!!!
Posted by: Sharon | Nov 6, 2021 12:03:08 AM
Charity begins at home, so I would first take care of my family and a few friends. In this economy, there is a lot of people who need a hand up, not a hand out. I'm a real sucker for a sob story so I would have to b e careful or I would end up broke. I would form my own charity and have people working for me that could remain objective and make sure the people requesting help really need it, not the ones htat are too lazy to work for a living.
I would love to help the working poor, give them a decent car, money for a great Christmas, feel good stuff. I agree with the other posters, I want to know where the money is going. Now all I have to do is win.