*** This giveaway is no longer accepting entries – scroll down to see who won!***
Perhaps you’ve heard of a little store called Ikea? And perhaps you’ll be interested in a $350 gift card from them for this week’s giveaway? Yeah we couldn’t believe it either when they emailed us. Hooray is right, Ikea catalog. Well said.
And not only are they generously offering up this week’s sweet prize, Ikea’s also presenting “The Life Improvement Project” where they’ll award one philanthropic individual $100,000 to take a one year sabbatical to help others (start a non-profit, volunteer for a year, etc). Plus they’re hosting free seminars in their stores about improving your life through your living space.
But back to how you can get your mitts on that $350 gift card:
- PRIZE: A $350 gift card to Ikea!
- TO ENTER: Comment on this post with the words “IKEA Me!” and…
- BONUS QUESTION: … tell us what you’d do if you could spend one year helping others. Would you open an after school program? Volunteer at a homeless shelter? Rescue animals?
- GIVEAWAY CLOSES: Wednesday, October 27th at 8pm EST
- NUMBER OF WINNERS: One
- PRIZE SHIPS: The United States
- USUAL STUFF: One entry per e-mail address is permitted. The winner will be selected using random.org and announced on Thursday as an update to this post. That’s right, come right back here Thursday morning for the announcement of our winner. Good luck…
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You guys are quite impressive with your nearly 11,000 entries. So impressive in fact that Ikea decided to change their plans and give away not just one, not just two, but THREE $350 gift cards. That’s over $1000 in gift cards! Thanks Ikea!
So let’s see who the lucky three winners are according to random.org:
- Alyssa Allen (who’s Life Improvement Project would include moving her fam somewhere in the world to help the poverty crisis)
- NEPD (who’d give her wedding florist services away free of charge)
- Jill (who’d give a year working with the Wildlife Conservation Society)
Note: We weren’t paid or perk’d for hosting this giveaway, we just take them on to reward our lovely readers! See our Giveaway FAQs page for more info. Pics from Ikea.
Sarah says
IKEA ME!!
Christine says
IKEA ME!
I would feed the hungry and help the homeless.
Kristin R says
IKEA Me!
Emily W says
IKEA me!!!
Nicole R says
IKEA ME! This question came as a bit of a surprise. I have never dreamt of having a whole year to do some good! However, working with underprivileged children, either education or food programs would be amazing!
Mindy says
IKEA ME!!!!!!
I am currently spending a year doing service – helping poor families find safe places to live. But if I could do another year of service it would be working in a church feeding program in Nicaragua.
Cari says
IKEA ME!
I would love to volunteer in a school for special needs children. I did this as a teenager during my summers and it left a huge impact on me. I would do this free of charge if I could!
Lina says
IKEA ME!
Julie says
IKEA Me!
I would spend time with child cancer patients. Crafts, entertainment, praying with them…
Jason says
IKEA ME!
I’d do something with the elderly and/or animals.
Lindsey W says
IKEA Me! I would work with Habitat for Humanity and help build homes for deserving military families. They sacrifice so much and they deserve to know that we support them.
Shannon says
IKEA ME!!! If I could take a year off I would love to start an after school program with an “active” theme – getting kids involved in different types of exercise and teaching them about eating healthy.
ChristinaTE says
Ikea me!!
I would volunteer to help teach at a ESL program for immigrant workers and their children.
Sara says
IKEA me! I’d spend a year working at our local animal shelter. They really need the help!
Sara says
IKEA me! I would volunteer at a school in an underprivileged country.
Melissa Mack says
IKEA Me!
If I could take a year off, I’d start an art program for underprivileged children.
Jennifer Mueller says
IKEA Me!
I would totally start a bully breed dog rescue & tell Sarah to stop showing that awful commercial. It makes me cry every time I see it. All I want do is watch some Jersey Shore, must you berate me with animal cruelty?
Erin says
Ikea Me!! And I spent 3 months living, and working at an AIDS orphanage-while building another- in Mozambique, Africa. I would LOVE to go back to help at the orphanage again!
Bree Murdock says
IKEA me DESPERATELY! :)
I would spend the entire year loving and playing with animals at the SPCA and Humane Society. After a year I would end up with 4 new dogs, 2 cats, 2 hamsters and a parakeet!
Lyra Fenner says
IKEA ME!!!
Kelle says
IKEA ME!
With a year off, I would set up a network of doggy foster homes in my area. We could get the dogs from the high-kill shelters, and bring them to CT to be fostered and adopted!
KNatGU says
IKEA ME!
I would work with homeless adults, they often get pushed to fringes of even charity work because they don’t always give you a warm fuzzy feeling like kids or animals. Plus it puts me outside my comfort zone, which is a very good thing.
Becca Taylor says
IKEA ME!!!
Lois says
Ikea Me!!!
Christine says
“IKEA Me!”
If I could spend one year helping others, I’d probably try to work with dogs, babies or both (not as earth-shattering as some other volunteer opportunities, but I’d really enjoy it!). Might also step up my socio-political involvement and volunteer more with The Human Rights Campaign.
Katie says
Ikea me!
If I could take a year off of work I would spend time educating people on diabetes and start a “get moving” program in my community… by 2050 1/3 of Americans are projected to have diabetes.
Shana Sammons says
I’d take some time off to help kids read who didn’t already know how to. My kiddos love books and it’s helped their language development immensely.
Alissa says
Ikea me!
Hmmm, if I were to devote an entire year to helping others, I’d either get involved with an organization that rescues girls from slavery or teaching girls/young women about the art of making a home.
Kimberly says
“Ikea Me!” I’d start a program similar to “Curb Apeeal the Block” and go all over New York State looking to beautify the poorest areas of each city/town with donated materials and labor.
Kristin says
IKEA ME! I would work with helping kids learn how to make healthier choices, food and exercise wise. Some sort of after school type program. We have a great one here in Charleston called Louie’s Kids, they have a program called RunBuddies where runners partner with overweight kids to help them get into shape!
Victoria says
IKEA me! I’d love to be part of starting a “handy-man/woman” team to do needed home repairs for the elderly or families with young children. Sometimes, those repairs get left undone due to finances. And you know what they say, “a stitch in time saves nine.”
jessica says
IKEA ME!!!
If I could spend a year volunteering, I would help women in rural or underserved areas learn a specialized skill and help them run a business based on their skill, whether it be weaving, cooking, hair styling, etc!
Corrianna {SouthernMother} says
IKEA ME!!
If I got to volunteer for a whole year, I’d devote my time to the homeless in my area and kids and babies that don’t have families. There’s a huuuuge burden on my heart for those two groups of people, and I’d absolutely love to have the opportunity to help them.
Ultimately, I’d love to adopt a few kids, but it’s soo expensive. I don’t suppose IKEA would sponsor that, eh?
Thanks for the opportunity!
Danielle B. says
IKEA ME!
I would spend it using my skills as an Interior Designer to help with Habitat for Humanity, or to help families with children suffering from cancer.
Lea says
holy moly Ikea Me! I entered the Life Improvement Project. I hope I get into the running!
Allie S. says
IKEA me!
If I could take a year off, I would develop a traveling art program that I could take to under-funded and underpriveledged schools in the U.S., and teach kids art lessons that involve getting messy, dirty, and having fun!
Caroline says
IKEA ME! I would love to work with World Vision or Compassion International to help drill wells for people in Africa without clean water.
Marisa Fedele says
IKEA Me!
I would love to spend a year working with animals in a shelter. I have a soft spot for puppies and kitties in need of a home!
Liesal says
IKEA Me!
I’d like to help out the local recycling program.
Coralie says
Ikea me!
I would do start a program for girls to raise their self esteem :). (yes, I love Dove!)
Jen J. says
IKEA ME!!!
I would do something with the elderly. Before I became a full time stay at home mom I was a social worker with the elderly and I miss them terribly sometimes.
Karen says
IKEA Me!
Hmm, so many choices. I think I’d love to work with a literacy program.
katieQ says
IKEA ME!
As a retired nursery school teacher, I am aware of the importance of developmentally appropriate education during the pre-school years and the value of exposing children to the beauty of nature. The nursery school I taught at was housed in a nature center. It was located in an affluent area and the tuition was expensive. Although we did offer a few scholarships, the cost of attending the school excluded many worthy children from low income families. If I were given a grant, I would provide a nature based education to homeless and low income children.
Emily Essig says
Ikea Me!
Susan F says
IKEA Me!
I currently work in a research lab on new ways to treat breast cancer. With a year off, I would love to take the lab skills to a developing country and work to stop the spread of infectious diseases.
Dede says
I just became a nurse, so I’d like to travel to devloping countries and help with heath education, give immunizations, and work in clinics.
Jeryl Macauley says
IKEA ME!
My time would be spent working with local organizations that help homeless families get back on their feet.
Danielle says
IKEA ME!
I would help out the local Parks Conservancy – everyone could use a little more green, grass that is.
Savanah says
IKEA Me!!!! :)
If I had a year to take off I would volunteer with a pre-school for impoverished people in Guatemala. I’ve been there before and loved every moment of it, so If I could go there for a year, I’d be able to see huge changes in the lives of these children! :)
Nathalie in CA says
IKEA me!
I would take a year off to work with recovering breast cancer survivors.