Officials from the Tennessee Lottery visited the Kroger supermarket in Knoxville last Friday and took a $25,000 check along for the ride. The supermarket sold the ticket that won the $259.8 million US Powerball jackpot on Wednesday, June 11, 2014, and the check was the supermarket's bonus payment for selling a winning ticket.
Kroger officials greeted their visitors, took one look at the check, and said they were having none of it, telling their astonished guests they intended to donate the entire amount to five local charities: the Teacher's Supply Depot, Love Kitchen, Cystic Fibrosis, Children's Hospital, and Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee.
Store manager Melissa Eads said: "It didn't really take us long to decide that we need to give the money back to the Knoxville community. There's so many worthwhile organizations, worthwhile charities, and so many that we've already supported and worked with for years."
According to the Tennessee Lottery, this is the first time a retailer has donated their entire bonus to charitable causes.
The lucky ticket-holder who won the jackpot earlier this month has yet to come forward.
To win the US Powerball Jackpot players need to match all five winning numbers and the Powerball. No players managed to achieve this at the weekend so Saturday's $80 million jackpot will rollover. The next drawing is on Wednesday, July 2, 2014 at 22:59 (Eastern Time). The estimated jackpot is $90 million.
