$415 million.

That is how much money I would get if I won the Powerball. This, however, is impossible, because I’m only 17. Let’s forget about that though and look into an alternate universe where I not only bought a lottery ticket legally, but I won. $415 million would be mine.

With this kind of money, I could buy a new Chanel purse everyday for about four years, buy approximately 2,196 houses…or I could use this money for the purpose of helping people in need. I like to think I would choose the last of those.

Money has the power to change the world. It can change people from being kind and selfless to self-centered and greedy. That is why I think that there is so much value in where one puts his or her money. Those who have millions of dollars have the ability to make a difference in this world, and I believe that is what money should be used for. Instead of throwing money into the bag by purchasing materialistic items, one could look for a less topical way of spending by not using it to make their life more glamorous, but rather give a sustainable life to multiple people living below the poverty line.

Rainn Wilson is a great example of someone who uses his money in a way to better humanity. Not only does he play the beet-loving, Jim-Halpert-hating character of Dwight Schrute he also is a great humanitarian outside “The Office.” He and his wife, author Holiday Reinhorn, founded the organization Lidé. This organization helps girls in Haiti receive a more well-rounded education by providing art programs, such as creative writing, photography and theater, according to www.lidehaiti.com. This couple has utilized their financial success and mixed it with their talents to help the less fortunate.

People like Wilson and Reinhorn inspire me to use my money for the benefit of those in need. So if I did have 415 million bucks, I would choose to use it for the things that I am most passionate about, one of which being helping those in need.

However, I wouldn’t just give my money to a random charity that I only semi-trusted my money with. Instead I would use my wealth as a reason to use my hands and feet. I would travel to underdeveloped countries and not only give them my money but my time. While there are too many people living in poverty for me to help with my own two hands, if the lottery were to change just one life for the better, it would be money well spent.

There are over 850 million people who are malnourished, according to borgenproject.org. In order to give these people a sustainable life, it would take $30 billion. Now, I know that this is amount is not even close to the winnings of the Powerball, but it is actually a very realistic goal to achieve. In fact, it would take a little under 9 Donald Trumps to rid the world of poverty. But I don’t think that anyone would be able to handle that much orange.

I wish that this alternate universe in which I exist as the Powerball winner was reality and that I possessed millions of dollars, but instead I’ll just try to make a difference one column at a time.