Each year, United Way of Southeast Mississippi holds the United Way $100K Payday raffle, a fundraiser in which participants can spend $100 for the chance to win $100,000 while supporting all 15 of United Way’s partnering organizations in the area.
Tickets for this year’s raffle go on sale Jan. 11, with multiple options to purchase, including online, mail, fax, in person or a new text-to-buy option.
“This is a very big fundraiser for us to kind of kick off the year with a solid donation base to help these partner agencies that we work with throughout the community,” said Jonah Taylor, director of marketing and communications at United Way. “Every ticket that’s sold, proceeds from that go to support grants and allocations to our partner agencies, so it’s a really big deal for us to be able to host a successful $100K Payday raffle.
“It really is kind of a village effort, in terms of giving back to our community. Whether people realize it or not, with every $100 ticket that’s sold, people are helping to give back to our community, and we really just want to put that on our forefront. Sure, you have this opportunity to win this grand prize, and it’s exciting, but your effort to win this money also helps our community.”
Tickets can be purchased by texting PAYDAY to 91999, or online at unitedwaypayday.org, by 11:59 p.m. March 7. A completed application and payment also can be sent to United Way 100K Payday, P.O. Box 1648, Hattiesburg, MS 39403; mail must be postmarked by March 6.
Tickets also will be sold until 4 p.m. March 5 at all Corner Market and Sunflower stores, as well as select locations of Citizens Bank, Community Bank, Grand Bank, Hancock Whitney and Magnolia State Bank. Participants also can call (601) 545-7141 or fax (601) 545-8872 by 4 p.m. March 5.
As part of an Early Bird special, individuals who purchase tickets before Feb. 7 will be entered into a drawing to win an Airbnb gift card valued at $1,000. In addition, anyone who purchases three tickets will receive a fourth ticket for free.
“People can actually quadruple their chances,” Taylor said. “When they purchase three tickets, they’ll get a free ticket, and that’s really popular with people because there’s already a really good chance (to win) – better than the lottery, typically.
“And if you do that during the Early Bird period, then that’s even better, because you have quadrupled your chances for both drawings.”
The winner will be announced March 16 at the Keg & Barrel at 1315 Hardy St. in Hattiesburg.
“You’re competing to win, but you’re also helping our community win just by purchasing a ticket,” Taylor said. “That’s a big driver, to know that this raffle will help our community for months to come through the work of our partner agencies.
“It’s not just a raffle that you enter to win thousands of dollars. It is that, and that’s absolutely a great thing, but it’s also a perfect opportunity for people to invest in our local community.”
