ABOUT
Founded in 2013 by Maria Carreiro, The Maria Carreiro Foundation is a private, family-run foundation that offers financial support to established, 501(c)(3) charitable organizations. As decided by the board of directors, the areas of specific interest include children's health, poverty and hunger, education, animal welfare, and veteran affairs.
As a part of the initial round of funding, requests from eligible organizations were due on April 15, 2019. The board is currently reviewing these applications and will be making decisions through the end of 2019. All organizations that submitted requests through the foundation’s online application form will be contacted once the review process is completed and funding determinations are made.
After 2019, the foundation is changing its approach to funding requests. Instead of requesting applications, the board will seek out funding opportunities and make contribution decisions based on how well an identified organization aligns with the mission, values and interests of The Maria Carreiro Foundation. Any unsolicited proposals and/or requests for funding will not be accepted or considered.
Thank you for your interest in The Maria Carreiro Foundation.
About
Maria Carreiro, 51, said she "ran down the street like a crazy woman" after her daughter looked online and discovered the award's true size.
Among her plans for the winnings were a Hawaii honeymoon after 30 years of marriage and a larger house.
Ms Carreiro had worked at a factory before quitting to raise her children.
She said her husband had already left his job.
"I couldn't believe it," Ms Carreiro told reporters. "I was shaking and just couldn't believe that it was real."
Ms Carreiro bought the LottoMax ticket for a Friday drawing and checked her ticket at the store on Saturday morning. She realised her multi-million dollar mistake when she returned home to tell her family.
According to Ontario Lottery and Gaming, 60% of winners of more than C$1m paid off debts, 56% took a vacation, 36% bought a new house and 43% either retired, changed jobs or quit.
