*** 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…
******************************
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.
Margaux says
IKEA ME!
I’m a social worker so I’ve already committed to helping others! But if I could quit my job I would love to spend my time empowering and educating women in need or foster some at-risk youth.
Molly says
IKEA ME! (please!)
With a year off, I would love to work full-time with a DC organization called Free Minds, which uses books and creative writing to mentor adolescent offenders incarcerated as adults in DC jail. It is an incredible program, and its work recognizes the possibility for change and personal growth by those others have given up on.
Ashley @ According to Ashley says
IKEA me!! And I’d definitely help children somehow. I’m a kindergarten teacher and I love working with little ones. :)
Arlene says
IKEA Me!
If I had a year to give, I would volunteer with someone or some project such as Habitat for Humanity, living paycheck to paycheck and mortgage payment to mortgage payment certainly makes me appreciate the fact that some have no home at all!
Rachel D. says
IKEA ME!! If I could take a year off and serve any place I could, I would go help at a women’s shelter in my local community!
Nicole Zoe says
IKEA Me!
I would go work (for free) at a Boys & Girls Club. I know first hand the difference The Club can make in a kids life. Sadly, when the economy gets worse, their services are needed more, but because they don’t have as much money coming in, they have to let go of the staff who work with these kids. So I would work for them for free to help out.
Alissa says
IKEA me!
I would have to think really hard about how best to spend only one year of good service, but one idea I’ve had would be to purchase instruments and provide free musical opportunities for at-need and at-risk students.
Jennifer O says
IKEA Me!
I think I would try to use the money to set up a program with the aerospace engineering department at my school and Nasa to create internships for (either or both) women in engineering or engineering students with financial need.. that would be both beneficial to NASA and to the students career-wise
Also, I love your blog.
Jenna says
IKEA me! I would open a clinic somewhere in a remote village where there was no healthcare available.
Katie G says
IKEA ME!
I work in higher ed and see how many students are unprepared. I would want to start a tutoring program to help incoming freshman brush up on some knowledge as well as teach some study tips, etc.
Erin Blonshine says
IKEA ME!
I would work with cancer patients and their families to help them fight their disease. I would use my own experience as a cancer patient to help others.
Stephanie says
IKEA me!!! This is a challenging question, but I think I would want to work with an org that teaches a skill/trade to adults to help them provide for their families after my year is up and one that would benefit their health and give them a hope for the future… and enjoy hanging out with those people in the meantime!
Kathy says
IKEA ME! I would like to help in third world communities – clean water sources, education, empowerment for women and children.
sara says
Ikea me!
I’d spend a year creating a mentor program to pair teen parents with experienced moms and dads.
Laura says
IKEA ME, babycakes! I’m a grad school earning my MFA in creative writing, and if I had a year to give, I’d establish some sort of program that encouraged creative writing among ESL students. It’s a way for them to become engaged in their new language.
So, in short, I like writing, words, ESL students and IKEA!
beth says
Ikea me!
I’m a pediatric physical therapist, and grew up riding horses. My dream is to have enough time to combine my passion and my educational background and volunteer in a therapeutic riding or hippotherapy center for children.
Danya says
IKEA ME! I’d love to give to animals everyday of my life! I can’t wait to retire from the real world to afford to do so. I’m thinking it would be a rescue for dogs possibly pit bulls. I love IKEA!
Rachel P says
IKEA ME!
Kate says
IKEA ME!
I’d work towards educating people about proper nutrition ala Jamie Oliver.
Sarah says
IKEA ME! I would want to take a year off and go to Haiti to help the people rebuild their beautiful country.
Courtney says
IKEA ME!! If I had a year to give, I would spend it teaching children in a third world country!
Renee Cantwell says
IKEA Me!!
I would love to take a year and work in disaster relief around the country and world. I’m a school psychologist so being able to provide those services to children in the schools would be so rewarding!
eric says
IKEA ME! if i had a year to give, i’d spend it with foster children getting ready to age out of the system – teaching them important life skills while emphasizing self- and eco- sustainability.
David Marmolejo says
IKEA ME!
I would volunteer at MD ANDERSON
Lissa says
IKEA ME PRETTY PLEASE!!!
If I were to spend a year helping others, it would most definitely be related to education. Specifically geared towards helping provide opportunities for parents to become better parents. As a public school teacher, I believe that our education system is being unfairly attacked. Many of the problems we are faced with stem from a lack of parental involvement on every level, from helping with homework to basic discipline at home. By helping provide parenting classes, hopefully our education system will be able to turn itself around and start catching up with the rest of the world.
Laura B says
IKEA ME! If I had a year to give, I would travel overseas to minister to the poor in another country – sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.
orly says
ikea me! i’d love get my hands dirty working with habitat for humanity. there’s no place like home, especially for those who don’t have one.
Elizabeth Hahn says
Oooohhhh! IKEA ME! I am currently a psychologist working in a domestic violence shelter. I would love to travel around the country speaking to young girls about healthy relationships and self-esteem so they don’t end up in my office some day!
Lauren Corum says
IKEA Me! If I had a year to give, I’d campaign for gay rights in America! Equality for all!
Teresa @ Teresa Tastes & Travels says
IKEA ME! Because, um, I started out today to rent an apartment and may have accidentally bought my first house…
Marcia says
IKEA Me!
As an art teacher, I would love to take a year to develop and implement an after school arts program for disadvantaged kids!
Lynn says
IKEA ME!
I’ll be graduating from veterinary school in a few months, so I’d take my degree and my $100,000 and spay and neuter cats and dogs for free!
Rochelle Yerrick says
IKEA ME! I’d feed people!
Meg says
IKEA ME!
I would spend a year working with the Girl Scout Canoe Base in Ely, Minnesota…a place very near and dear to my heart.
molly says
IKEA ME! I would continue my love for teaching children!
lauren says
IKEA ME!!! We have an IKEA opening up near us soon (can’t wait!) So if I won I’d have to wait a few months to go spend the cash, but I’d use it to spruce up our living room. And if I had a year to give, I would do it in the inner city using my skills as an RN! Thanks guys!!!
Erin K. says
IKEA ME! I’d use my talents as a primary teacher to help educate disadvantaged families so that they can best support early literacy learning.
S says
IKEA ME!!! I’d definitely work with adolescents in schools. Probably tutoring or maybe even re-building/renovating schools.
Lauren says
IKEA ME!
I actually work at the Make-A-Wish Foundation so I do get to spend a year helping people…and I love it with all my heart! I think Bridge to Rwanda would be a great experience, as well.
Laurie Sturtevant says
IKEA ME! I’d spend the year helping the children of cancer victims (past and currently fighting). I lost a childhood friend to cancer this year who has 2 small boys and have a co-worker with small children fighting right now. It’s amazing what children can comprehend and how they deal with their fears and frustration. I’d just like to get them involved in fun carefree events that can make them forget it all if only for a few moments.
Rachel says
IKEA ME!! I would start up an after-school drama program for elementary and middle-school kids to help boost their confidence and encourage creativity. I did this at a local Boys’ and Girls’ Club in high school and it was a great experience!
Lori says
IKEA Me!
I’d spend my year off volunteering in rural Appalachia repairing homes for impoverished people. I was there last week and helped replace a rotten bathroom floor that a two-year-old had fallen through. There are so many people in need in that part of our country.
charity says
Ikea me! please me!
Fertility. I’d spend a year helping couples and raising money for infertility and adoption.
Amanda says
IKEA ME!
I’d work to develop resources for parents suffering through late pregnancy loss.
Pamela S says
IKEA ME!
I’m a pediatric nurse practitioner student graduating in May so I would use the money to begin a clinic that would provide health care services to children in an underprivileged area.
Samantha says
IKEA Me!
I would help kids learn to read because having a solid reading foundation helps so much in having a successful life.
Gretchen S says
IKEA Me! If I had a year to give, I’d help animals or orphans.
Laura Norton says
IKEA ME a new house!!!
Lacy F says
IKEA Me!
If I had a year to give, I would spend it at Pets and People Animal Rescue in Yukon, OK. They rescue adoptable pets scheduled for euthanization at shelters in the Oklahoma City area. They are an entirely volunteer-run organization.
Kera says
IKEA Me!
What a great give away!
As a teacher, with a year off I would spend it working with kids and schools in rural Appalachia and inner cities. Everyone deserves opportunity.