*** 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.
Teresa K says
Ikea me, please! If I had a year to give, I’d work in Afghanistan teaching English to the kids there.
Ess says
Ikea Me,
I would spend a free year helping children with special needs. I would try to give the parents a break while I work witht he children on skills at their own level
Erica says
IKEA ME!
If I had a year to give, I would focus on animals. There are way too many homeless pets out there.
Thanks! :)
Kristen says
IKEA ME!!!!
If i could spend a year helping someone I think i would volunteer at Habitat for Humanity. I’ve ALWAYS wanted to volunteer with them, but have never made the time to do it.
Rachel says
IKEA ME! :)
I would love to expand the Girls on the Run program in my region as well as work with kids and their parents to help them develop healthy lifestyles.
Karin says
IKEA Me!
I’d love to travel to a foreign country and help people setup online stores or something. Follow the teach them to fish philosophy. Somewhere like Haiti.
Hey that’s an idea for you guys! You know if you gathered your posts about how you started this blog and made a presentation geared towards a low income community I bet someone in a place with no opportunity but low living costs could make a living blogging about their life. Also, a place like that could definitely use cheap tips on renovating a home.
Maggie says
IKEA ME!!!
To volunteer for a year would be my dream come true!! I would love to spend time abroad somewhere and help children who are less fortunate than I. I would do all I could to make their life better by working to give them education, food and somewhere to have fun and just be a child.
Brittani Mahoney says
IKEA ME!!!
I would work with the National MS Society again!
Amie says
IKEA Me! If I had a year to volunteer, I would work on builing programs to help less fortunate families receive help for their child’s education.
Ashley @ A { Blondes } DIY Life says
Ikea me!
If I could take a year and do nothing but help others, I think I would want to either work with or develop something Like Habituate for Humanity! I think they do such a wonderful thing in helping other families have a home!
Morgan says
IKEA ME! If I took a year off I would do some type of volunteer work with animals….
Jordan says
IKEA ME! If I had a year to give I would begin an after school art studio space where middle-school to high-school aged kids could drop in, be creative, share ideas, voice their opinions through their artwork in a safe and trusting environment. I would definitely continue this for more than a year but it would definitely take a little time to get funding and get it up and running.
Sara G says
IKEA ME! Rescue animals, for sure!
Samantha says
IKEA ME!
I would work with Citizen Schools!
Kate G says
IKEA ME!
Being a nurse, I would love to spend a year in an area of the world where modern healthcare is not available and provide much needed medical care!
Lone says
IKEA Me!
I would open up an after school gym for kids – where they could try different kinds of sports without having to pay an arm and a leg for it!!!
Meggers says
IKEA ME!!
As a former Navy brat, I would do something to give back to all the military families who give so much up for us. :)
Sarah says
IKEA me!
I’d love to start a foundation to benefit children with congenital heart defects and their families- my son has a CHD, and we have been supported so much by different groups and foundations over the years. I’d love to pay it forward and help other families in need during a difficult time.
erika says
IKEA ME!
I work as a houseparent to kids with discipline issues . . . so I do give my time. BUT I’d love to go volunteer at an orphanage overseas.
Jackie says
IKEA ME!
I currently work in a school and with all of the recent attention on bullying I think it would be great to develop or work with an existing organization to provide anti-bullying programming.
Erin V says
IKEA Me!!!
Melissa says
IKEA Me! I would defiantly spend the year setting up a program for teenage girls and offering them positive opportunities and mentors to look up to.
Saple says
IKEA ME!
I would like to use it to suppliment some of the garden implements we need for a urban garden
Wendy says
IKEA Me!!! I’d spend a year helping homeless animals. I have two rescue mutts and two rescue cats!
nicole says
Ikea me! I think I’d try to help build better homes for people that live in bad conditions or just can’t afford a place to live.
laura dankewich says
“IKEA Me!” and I would teach people to read. Maybe go on a medical mission. Or work at a teen shelter.
Kate says
IKEA ME!
I would like to start community gardens and teach inner city kids (or adults) to grow their own veggies.
Mikki says
IKEA ME!!!!
If I could take a year, I’d like to help all the kiddos out there who have either a mommy or daddy (or both!) overseas fighting the war.
Jessica says
IKEA Me!
Rock babies at the hospital and read, read, READ to kids!
Naomi C. says
IKEA Me! I would volunteer with the Guide Dog Foundation – my family raised a guide dog for a year then were lucky enough to get her back when she failed the program (froze up at loud noises = not a good guide dog candidate for blind folks). They do so much for the visually impaired population, I’d love to give back if I had the resources!
Heather says
IKEA Me!
I would spend my year working with children and education.
Colleen says
IKEA ME!!!
Anything to help animals!
sarah says
ikea me? IKEA ME!
i’d move back to new orleans, couch surf with family and get involved with the public schools there as a tutor/mentor/art instructor.
Niki says
IKEA ME! I’d love to help out at school and serve meals at the local soup kitchen:)
Morgan says
IKEA ME!
Jessie M says
IKEA ME! I would spend a year helping under privileged children. I honestly don’t know exactly how I would do this, but I know that what I would want to do would be helping children. As is, I want to open a daycare/preschool one day. I would just do something like that free of charge for a year to help out those who need it and can’t get the help. Something along those lines..
Abby says
IKEA ME!!!
If I had a year…I would do some sort of camp for foster kids.
Grace says
Ikea me!
I would spend the year traveling to and aiding churches that need help with fixer-upper projects.
SJ says
IKEA ME!
If I can take a year off and spend it helping out others with $100K, I want to go to the Philippines and help build and manage a pre-school for little kids of low income families. In that way, literacy will be greatly improved.
Jenny G. says
IKEA ME!
I’m torn. I’d really love to open a horse rescue. The poor economy has left a lot of horses with the really short end of the stick (those sweet babies aren’t cheap!).
But also, I’d like to turn that money into scholarships for children to attend Montessori schools. I’m a Montessori teacher, so obviously, I love the philosophy and think it works so well for so many kids. However, the price tag of a Montessori education is ridiculous. I know that if I had kids, I wouldn’t be able to afford to send them to the school that I work at, even with my staff discount! I think it’s really unjust that only the well-off can have that kind of education.
Janaya Hitzel says
IKEA ME!
If I had a year off I would spend it helping the Susan G. Komen foundation. There work is very close to my heart.
Emily W says
IKEA Me!
If there were two of me, I would love to spend a year teaching computer skills to underprivileged kids.
Alison R says
IKEA Me!
I would give my brother an early Christmas present! He just bought a new house and is lacking funds to design around the dark kitchen with BURNT ORANGE countertops! eek.
Erin says
IKEA me!!! I’d love to take a year off to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity and Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Kristy Mohrhardt says
IKEA Me!
I would do volunteer photography for low income families. Documenting your life with pictures is something many of us take for granted.
jaclyn m says
IKEA me!! if i had a yr to donate my services it would b in some type of orphanage…i would love to give them the love and attention that little ones need.
Kristin P. says
Ikea Me! I am a 1st grade teacher. I would love to start a program to educate the parents of my ELL (English Language Learners) students. English lessons, job placement, etc.
Heather says
IKEA ME! I would love to take a year and work with water purification projects in countries where so many children are dying from lack of clean water. Its so preventable!
Arell N says
Ikea Me!! I would try to work with teen mothers and help them get on their feet, get their education, learn the importance of breast feeding and reading to their children….
Amy says
“Ikea Me!” I would work with my local United Way organization because they touch so many different aspects of our community.