Trenton family who won Powerball gives back to the community

TRENTON, N.J. - A New Jersey family struck it big a few years ago by winning the Powerball. They vowed to help out the community and now they're making good on their promise. 

The Smith family formed the Smith Family Foundation, which is a private grant-making group.

"It is the heart of the family who had the desire to see ourselves elevated but when we got the resources it wasn't only about us. It was about our community and now we can help to elevate everyone around us," Director of Operations for the Smith Family Foundation Harold Smith said.

The foundation helps grassroots non-profits with grants, guidance, and expertise to offer more and better opportunities to communities.

"We are firm believers that great people produce great work and it's not necessarily all about the curriculum or the program but the person driving the mission of the organization really matters," Smith explained. "The hardest part is knowing that you can't give to everyone."

Smith couldn't help beaming with pride talking about the six different scholarships helping mostly local students like Nelly Sanchez, born and raised Trentonian, who is now a College of New Jersey freshman.

"They've not only helped me grow as a person but as a student," she said. 

The Smith family still shies away from publicity.

"The glory should go to God not the Smith family. We're just vessels doing the work of the ministry and any way we can show God's grace that's what we're going to do," Smith said. 

For more information on the Smith Family Foundation, please click here.

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