*** 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.
YL says
IKEA Me!
I’d spend a year working in a women’s health clinic in Haiti
Nicole says
IKEA ME!!!
Oh man, that would be awesome, I would do two things! Ideally I would get the year after I finished residency so I’d be a fully licensed physician, and I would provide free care to people without health insurance. And then at home I would foster lots of animals and help train them to be adopted into forever homes :) We are training up our rescue pup that we got at age 1 yr and older dogs can still learn new tricks!
Sarah S. says
IKEA ME!
If I had a year, I would travel across the country building houses for Habitat for Humanity!
Nini says
IKEA ME! If I could take a year off to help others I would like to work to improve the quality of support military families recieve during deployment especially IA families. I would love to work on an online and in person support system that would provide support to those who need it especially those with little to no family support on a volunteer base. Military spouses help Military spouses.
Lindsey says
IKEA ME!
I would volunteer in an orphanage in China. I have been so inspired by my sister’s adoption journey, I would love to go back to further serve these orphans in need. Hopefully my husband and I will travel there in the next few years to bring home our daughter!
Adrielle says
IKEA Me!
If I could take a year off from my life to work with any non-profit, I would spend the year working on the local youth triathlon & cycling club/racing team. I would encourage the youths in my area to get involved in a “lifetime sport” and use the money to provide loaner bikes & components for the kids, as well as offset the cost of uniforms and other gear.
Megan says
IKEA ME!
Volunteer w/ organization helping people gain access to clean water in developing nations.
Mike at The Big Stick says
IKEA ME!
I am extremely interested in promoting better relationships between urban and rural areas. i would work with urban and rural entreaupreneurs (sp?) to create co-opts where they could help each other out.
christina says
IKEA ME!
I’d like to work in after school sports programs with kids.
Ashli says
Ikea me! I would definitely love to work with habitat for humanity for a year!
Eileen says
IKEA me!!
Danielle Hampton says
IKEA me!
I’d love to open an all-ages music venue in my small town. :)
Christine says
IKEA Me! If I had a year to give, I would like to help build homes in natural disaster areas with Habitat for Humanity.
Stacey Holton says
Ikea me!
I would definitely do something to help veterans…probably volunteering with kids of active duty soldiers, who are trying to get along without one or both parents.
Deb Finch says
Ikea Me!
I would like to help the Lowell Association for the Blind be able to start a business that employs the blind and visually impaired. I imagine this as an off shoot of the organization. My other thought would be to try and arrange housing for the blind by purchasing a building that could be supported by rental income but provide all the necessary adaptive equipment to make living there easier for the blind.
Ellen says
IKEA Me!
I would continue to do my job (Community Health Educator) but just do it for free!
Stephanie says
IKEA ME!
In the past couple of years I’ve been trying to find time for a volunteer vacation with Habitat for Humanity. If I had a year to give, I’d like to travel with Habitat building homes for those in need.
Allie says
IKEA ME!!!!! If I had a year, I think I’d spend it volunteering to rescue and foster dogs.
Kate says
IKEA ME!
I would love to volunteer with children, and work towards reducing violent crimes.
Lindsey says
IKEA ME!
I’d love to give back (money & time) to the shelter we rescued our furry child (read: dog) from.
Ruth K says
IKEA ME!
I would love to take a year off and volunteer before med school through a homeless shelter in town or abroad.
Cameron says
IKEA ME!
I would work with young adults who, like me, have suffered the loss of a parent in their lives too young.
jessica K says
IKEA ME!
I would open or work in an orphanage overseas- although I don’t like that word. It would be a home and a family for as many children and infants that need one.
Sheri says
IKEA ME! As a former Teacher, I would love to volunteer my time to help kids in need. Every child deserves a healthy, happy home and a safe environment to learn in!
Lauren Schieb says
IKEA ME!!!
Katie G says
IKEA me pleae!
(moving to a new apartment next month, it’d be perfect!)
If I could do anything for a year, I’d set up an after-school math tutoring program for high schoolers.
Rija Ford says
IKEA me!! Oh, I am pining after the kivik chaise- it will be such a nice edition. If I were to have a $100,000 to donate toward a project, I would work with the single moms in Chester, PA to organize group housing, job training, childcare, resume and career wardrobe assistance. I really believe the “it takes a village” concept and if motivated moms there got together, they could help each other raise their families and show them how to succeed.
Libby says
IKEA Me!
I manage a volunteer program for my career, so If I had a year off to volunteer, I would have the chance to go on the volunteer trips that I plan…a win-win :)
Thanks for this great prize!
Alicia says
Ikea me. I am a physical therapist and would love to volunteer my PT services in a poverty-stricken area.
Sara Castro says
IKEA Me!
I’d go back to Beira, Mozambique and spend all of my time in the different orphanages.
Noelle says
Ikea Me! With my new little bundle of joy I would love to do something with children and maybe open an animal shelter as well.
Alli says
IKEA ME!!!
If I could take a year off to help others, I’d do more work with mentoring/bif sister for children whose parents had/have cancer.
mariah vesotsky says
IKEA ME! I would help young mothers learn how to care for themselves and their babies. It is so important for them to feel supported.
Salina C. says
IKEA ME!!
Mary says
IKEA ME!!! Please!
I would love to help single needy parents in some way.
Lauren Teare says
IKEA ME!
I would give all the money to homeless children….. Being a mother of a baby myself, my heart breaks for babies that go without food and shelter!
Vicki says
IKEA me!!!!!!!!!
I think I’d do something to help animals.
Erin says
IKEA ME!! :)
Ruth says
Ikea me!
I’d help cancer patients somehow … my father has cancer and he’s been helped by some wonderful people and I want to pay it back.
Laura Kramer says
IKEA ME!!!
I would be happier than a peach to take a year off to help people and volunteer in Africa!
Erin says
Ikea ME!
If I were presented with the opportunity with a year, my husband and I would be off to Africa in a heart beat. He’s been to Congo, Uganda, and Rwanda twice already for three months, two separate years, and has always wanted to take me back for the experience with that NGO, Invisible Children. They are doing great things over there and I’d love to see those countries first hand.
Lisa says
IKEA ME!
I have friends teaching English overseas who could use an helping hand :)
Kim Black says
IKEA ME!
If I had a year to spend helping others…I would spend most of my time at the local children’s hospital. Those precious kiddos are faced with life threatening illnesses and yet they still smile! I’d love to be able to help them find something to smile about. I’d also spend time building homes for less fortunate. Philanthrophy is where my heart is, but right now I have a full time job too so I don’t get to volunteer as often as I’d love to :-\
Christine says
IKEA ME! If I had a year of my life to give, I’d start a new Girls on the Run chapter in my hometown!
L M says
IKEA ME!
I would spend a year helping to stop human trafficking. I think it is absolutely horrible how small girls (like age 5 or younger even!) are sold into prostitution around the world.
julie selby says
IKEA ME PLEASE!!!
I would volunteer at my children’s school!
Lindy says
# “IKEA Me!”
I would do something with preparing for a college or technical education in an inner city high school, possibly application help, studying for the SAT/ACT, or technical training.
Leslie says
IKEA Me! I’d work with kids.
Sara S says
IKEA Me! If I could spend a year helping others, I’d design and install community gardens. Or I’d work at an orphanage. And then I would combine the two by working at an orphanage and teaching kids how to garden and grow their own food.
amy goodhouse says
IKEA ME!
I would love to take a year off to teach underprivileged kids about art, and I would also like to spend some time traveling to a foreign country to help with things like medical care and food programs for the very undernourished.