Florida Lottery Raises Over $28 Billion for Education
Wednesday April 22nd 2015Florida residents have reason to celebrate as the Florida Lottery has announced that they have just hit a record for transfers to the state’s educational fund. Since the lottery started in 1988, $28 billion has been raised for the Educational Enhancement Trust Fund (EETF), which helps fund K-12 education as well as scholarships for college students across the state.
For the past 13 years, the Florida Lottery has contributed over $1 billion to educational initiatives in the state; in the 2013-2014 fiscal year alone, more than $1.49 billion was allocated to this great cause. Lottery revenues account for six percent of the education budget, and over 700,000 Florida students have been able to fulfill their dreams of going to college through the Bright Futures Scholarship.
The announcement of the new record was accompanied by a giant check to commemorate the occasion. Cynthia O’Connell was accompanied by State Representative Alan Williams to celebrate the good news. In a press release from the Florida Lottery, O’Connell mentioned that the Florida Lottery plans to produce new games that will help further fund education. “We will continue to explore new product offerings that will help generate enthusiasm among our players and grow revenues for education in our state,” she said.
Governor Rick Scott remarked that “we know a great job begins with a great education, and we are working to ensure that every student has access to the tools they need to succeed in their college and future career. I applaud the Lottery for their commitment to investing in our students so they can become the leaders of tomorrow.”
For over 25 years, residents of the Sunshine State have been playing Florida Lottery games and winning great prizes, all while supporting one incredible cause. When you buy tickets for Florida Lotto, Lucky Money, Powerball, Mega Millions and other games, you’re giving yourself the chance to win big while helping millions of students from kindergarten to college get the chance to achieve their dreams. If you’d like to learn more about the great games on offer from Ballast Key to Fernandina Beach, visit the Florida Lottery page.
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