First off, let’s be clear about one thing: half billion dollars sounds much better than $500 million, doesn’t it?
My kids saw the news last night and wanted to buy some lottery tickets. They were despondent when they found out you needed to be 18 years old to play. We had an interesting discussion last night about what they would want to buy if they won.
My oldest daughter, almost 13, wanted a pair of very expensive high heel shoes. My middle daughter, 11, wants her own laptop. My son, almost 10, wanted a ‘kick arse sports court in the backyard wired for music, perhaps video and big lights.’ Kid dreams big. I was struck by two things around our family conversation. One, aside from my son, we didn’t want anything all that big and grand; perhaps they would be foolish purchases, but not overly extravagant. Two, my husband and I really focused on what causes we could support if we won that money.
First of all, I’d take it in a lump sum. According to CT Lottery that is about $359.4 million. I would stash away about $15 million for our family. I’d buy a house in Provence for around $1.5 million. I’d set up an educational trust for all my nieces and nephews; call that $2 million. I would not stop working, nor would my husband. That leaves about $340 million. Then I would begin investigating which causes and charities I would donate money. I would immediately fund the following charities: Autism Speaks, The Kennedy Center’s Autism Project and The Bridge House in Bridgeport. I would give Habitat for Humanity enough money for at least 10 homes in Bridgeport CT. I would give money towards AIDS, Pancreatic and Lung cancer research. I would ensure that our local food bank was fully stocked at all times. I would fund Mercy Learning Center in Bridgeport.
So what would you do with a half a billion dollars?
