*** 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.
Natalie B says
IKEA ME! I’d love to work with pregnant women who don’t have anywhere else to turn.
Amanda says
IKEA Me! If I had a whole year to give, I would do some kind of program from young teens and drugs. I teach 6th grade and the amount of kiddos in my room on something worries me, especially since they can be influenced in so many more positive ways.
Tara R says
“IKEA Me!” I would most likely spend my time volunteering at an animal shelter.
Allie says
IKEA Me!
I would definitely help out a local charity in my area called Wishing Well. They raise money mainly through college and high school students and build wells in Africa to provide clean water to people who don’t have it. What a simply way to make a difference!
jenn says
IKEA Me!
I teach college and LOVE it. After reading Push by Sapphire a couple months ago, I’ve really felt strongly pushed to be an advocate for literacy. There really aren’t a lot of regional programs devoted to this, and it’s a serious problem. I would love to develop a nonprofit devoted to teaching children and specifically adults how to read and write.
Missy says
IKEA ME!
I’d take a year to volunteer for all of my favorite nonprofits (land conservancies, trail advocacy groups, meals on wheels, etc) and I’d write about the experience of volunteering on a blog. It would pay me back!
Sherri says
IKEA ME!!! I would LOVE to win this….as we’re about to put our house on the market (after some serious sprucing) and could use some organization. If I could have a year off…I’d volunteer at hospitals with sick kids and also use that time to make quilts for those kids. I’ve love to put my crafting to such a great cause!
Melissa says
IKEA Me!
I currently volunteer (though not nearly as often as I’d like) at Samaritan House of Ft. Worth. It’s a non-profit that provides residences and services to the homeless living with HIV/AIDS. I’d definitely help out more over there.
Ashley says
IKEA ME!
I would spend a year visiting children in hospitals that are fighting cancer. Keeping them company, and helping make their wishes come true!
christina jones says
IKEA ME!!!
I would take the year to create a non-profit that focused on giving support to those that need rehab to their homes, with volunteers from the community.
Amanda H. says
IKEA ME!
I would want to do what I already do (I’m about to graduate as a special education teacher) and work with families that have kids with autism to help them in the home and find ways to make life a little easier for them and their kids! A lot of the parents I come into contact with seem to feel in over their heads, and I’d love to be able to provide some sort of help or training to them on the best strategies for their child!
Katie says
IKEA Me! If I had a year, I would either work with Habitat for Humanity, help animals or work with those less fortunate who have passion and want to start a business.
Kim says
IKEA ME! ME! Pick ME!
Caroline says
IKEA ME!
I would volunteer at a local after school program that teaches middle school and high school students about music and recording. There are many schools in this area that have had music funding cut, and since it is such a huge part of my life, I’d love to give back!
Juliet says
Ikea me!
I would work for our local assistance program- echo.
Andrew says
IKEA ME!!! Work developing after school programs in urban schools in Atlanta City Schools.
Kimberly S says
IKEA ME!
I work in the oncology field so I would love to do something for children with cancer.
Bethany says
IKEA me!
And if I could help for one year…I would volunteer at a children’s hospital. :)
Allison says
IKEA ME!! If I could spend one year helping others, I would start a reading program for struggling schools and students. Students would be given a book a month and would be offered free tutoring in reading and writing.
Payton Junkin says
Ikea Me! Definitely contribute to caring for the orphaned!
Lauren B says
IKEA me!
I’m a nurse and I think it would be really awesome to go overseas and help with health education in communities and volunteer in clinics. You can do so much with so little in less fortunate countries than ours…
Tiffany says
IkeaMe! If given the opportunity, I would spend the year working and supporting Martha’s Table. Martha’s Table’s mission is to help at-risk children, youth, families and individuals in our community improve their lives by providing educational programs, food, clothing and enrichment opportunities. They provide tutoring, learning support and recreational programs during the schoolyear to youth ages 3 months to 18 years; provide meals every day to the homeless, seniro shut ins via mobile units and their U Street corridor location;and offer family support services, referrals and clothing.
Thanks Ikea!I’d love to give our hum drum condo a little makeover- it’s a small space but we’d love to use the funds from IkeaMe to buy some furniture and accessories to bring it back to life!
Carrie says
IKEA Me!
I have always enjoyed volunteering with the Special Olympics. I would love to do this full time!
Emily says
IKEA MEEE!
Emily says
IKEA ME! IKEA ME!
Alicia says
IKEA me!
It’s a tough choice. I think doing Teach for America or a similar program would be really cool.
Hope D says
IKEA Me…PLEASE!!! If I had a year to invest fulltime in anything it would be in the neighborhood in which God moved our family (from the mission field). We are living out community in a struggling little town on the edge of Birmingham, AL. The economy has hit rock bottom here and most homes are either rentals in disrepair or abandoned. I’d love to assist folks in the community with micro-business loans to set up new cottage industries and bring life back to this community of precious people.
Stacey C says
IKEA Me!
I’d volunteer with Habitat for Humanity. And probably help animals too.
Teacher Amber says
IKEA me!
I teach ESL, and I see over and over again how new immigrant students have trouble getting connected into life in American schools. I would like to do some sort of native born American/new immigrant mentor program to help ESL students find a place in American schools.
Emily says
IKEA ME!
If I could take a year off I would find a way to partner with an organization to raise awareness about mental health issues in general and schizophrenia in particular.
Carolyn G says
IKEA ME! We have their crib, and love it.
Amanda says
Ikea me!!!!Please?!
Nancy says
IKEA ME!! I’m not sure what I would do, but I’m pretty sure it would involve children.
Michelle says
IKEA me! If I had a whole year to do nothing but help others, I would volunteer with underprivileged children in some capacity…
Debbie Christensen says
“IKEA Me!”
I would do something to fund adoption for needy families that want to connect with needy children.!
Meredith O' Bannion says
After school program for low income families, how to use technology, interview, and overall business sense.
Andrea Watts says
IKEA Me! And I can get some organization in my home!
AT says
IKEA me!
If i had a year to donate my time i would work at a Non profit for free helping those that do it every day take the burden off!
Debbie O says
IKEA me…I would like to work with children who lost a parent in thier childhood, a cause that is near to my heart.
Heather Millington says
Ikea Me!
If given the chance, I would develop a multi faceted dynamic after school program in the town I currently reside!
Michelle D. says
IKEA ME!
I am a full-time working mom, but if I had a year off to volunteer I would love to assist the local woman’s shelter in educating and training women to find jobs and help care for their children.
Margaret Buonadonna says
IKEA ME! I am a middle school counselor and it is difficult to imagine taking a year off, but if I had years worth of time to invest I would love to expand on my social skills programming for students on the autism spectrum, staffing the program so that it could meet daily for skill building rather than once a week.
Andrea Watts says
I would work with shelters and soup kitchens to help the less fortunate.
Mary W. says
IKEA ME! I would love to spend time volunteering somehow with animals.
Allison says
IKEA ME!!! I would work in developing after school programs in our city. So many of our students go home to empty houses, make their own dinners, etc.
Jeri says
IKEA ME!!!!!
Katie says
IKEA ME! I would help mothers care for their children while they finish their education. As a new mama in grad school, I definitely see the need :)
Paige Cotney says
IKEA ME! I would definitely travel and teach math to students in an underprivileged area or 3rd world country.
Kathleen says
IKEA Me!
I would spend the year working with the local Chamber of Commerce organizing events that would bring more people to the resort town I live in. The area has been affected by the economic downturn, jobs are hard to find and families and businesses are hurting. It is such a beautiful natural area we just need to encourage more people to visit and I’m sure they would return.
Courtney says
IKEA me!
I work for a domestic violence shelter now, planning fundraising events. I would continue to do what I’m doing now, but donate my salary (and hopefully some of the $100k!) to the organization. I’d also take out to lunch my volunteers who work SO HARD and don’t get paid!