*** 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.
Jill says
Ikea me! I would start a creative writing program for troubled teen girls.
Angie says
IKEA ME!
I have quite a soft spot for orphans in Eastern Europe. I’d do something with that…even if all I did was live there for a year and hold them all day long.
Lindsey W says
Ikea Me!!
As a vet tech and an animal lover, I would love to do something to help animals, like working at a spay and neuter clinic or a no kill animal shelter.
stefanie says
Ikea me! I woul want to help send aid to haitian orphanges!
Joanne says
IKEA ME! I would offer free yoga classes to women and their children in local shelters.
Amy A says
IKEA ME!
I don’t know how I could ever narrow it down to one thing! I’d probably work at rescuing animals, helping hospice patients, or families affected by cancer. Ideally combining all three! I know I would be lost without my shelter baby, Moxie, and I look back on my teen years when my mom was first handicapped and then in hospice care, and I wish I could do something to brighten the lives of those in such situations, even if only for a day.
Julie K. says
IKEA ME!! If I had a year to volunteer I would want to help kids coming out of juvenile detention centers get on the right path and make the right decisions. I interned at one in college and were intelligent, just didn’t have the right guidance.
Megan Lindback says
IKEA ME!! I would work at a safe house in Thailand with victims of sex trafficking.
Emily V says
IKEA ME!
I would take the year off to volunteer my time and skills as a nurse helping the poor and under-educated in a third world country. The health and well-being of our fellow humans is of vital importance.
Nuha says
IKEA ME!!
I would spend the year using my nursing skills helping families, particularly children, who are going through a rough time. Doesn’t matter if its divorce, loss of a loved one, financial burdens, whatever. I want families to stay together :)
Heidi H. says
IKEA ME!
If I had a year & $100k, I’d work with the local charity Caritos which helps young/struggling families (much like my own) to pay rent, buy groceries, pay utilities, ect. They helped us once & ever since then, it’s been a goal of ours to pay it forward if we ever had the means.
Jen says
IKEA ME!!
I would love to do habitat for humanity and help build houses for those in need :)
Jess-The Semi Abnormal Gal says
IKEA ME! (please).
As a teacher in a socioeconomically disadvantaged area I would like to work on healthy, balanced meals at public schools and sustainable farming in my community.
Melissa says
IKEA ME!!
What a great opportunity that would be… I’d spend my days serving my community at our local food bank or homeless shelter.
Ryan says
IKEA ME!!!!
I would spend more time with highschoolers through a program called young life
Sara says
IKEA ME!
If I had a year, I would spend it on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. Pine Ridge is one of (if not THE) poorest areas in our country and gets little to no notice. Many people do not even have running water and many of the kids there need mentorship and lots of love.
Melissa Wellington says
IKEA me! Yes… me, out of 5,667 entries so far! Hey, you never know!
I would do something to help parents of young children who have lost their spouse.
amalisa says
IKEA ME! With that time and money, I’d love to help establish more urban gardens – especially in schools.
Carrie says
IKEA ME!!!
There are so many great things a person could do with a free year. I am a children’s counselor so I would go to places with very few services for children whether they be inner cities or depressed rural areas and offer free kids programs.
Randi says
IKEA Me! With the opportunity to volunteer for a year I would definitely contribute my time somehow combining education and less fortunate children. There are so many good causes it would be such a difficult choice but there is an education crisis in our country right now so that is where I would focus my efforts.
Brenda mcclanahan says
IKEA me!!!!
I’d love to work for habitat for humanity!!!!
Ps – saw u on Nate today!!!! I was so excited and felt like I already ‘knew’ u!!!!! ;) that contest was so fun!!!
Melissa S. says
IKEA ME! Seriously… please! haha
I would help children in Durham improve their literacy skills and hopefully instill a love of reading in each child.
Meagan says
IKEA ME!
Worth a shot. I have been eyeing a kitchen island for a year now.
I would spend my time teaching students how to study, organize themselves etc. All the things you should learn how to do in school but no one ever has the time to teach you anymore! :)
Sabrina Allen says
IKEA Me! Because Ikea is my favorite place to waste an afternoon, and its always sad when I walk away empty handed due to a lack of funding!
I would spend a year working with at-risk youth, playing games and cooking!
joni nesbitt says
Ikea me!
I would travel overseas to uganda and work in an orphanage or teach children.
stanna rysdam says
Ikea me anytime. I so love that place. Thanks, Stanna
([email protected])
Natalie Arloa says
IKEA ME! As to what I’d do for a year, that’s a tough one, as I already do quite a bit of volunteering with at-risk kids (school and church), but if I had a year and could do anything, it’d have something to do with helping people who’ve been out of work long term — Michigan has it rough.
Grace says
“IKEA ME…”
If I could take a year off…I would either head overseas to volunteer to help teach, or I would start a non-profit to help single mothers because I admire them for the strength and courage to raise a child on their own.
Jami says
“IKEA Me!”
I have done a lot of work doing Hurricane Disaster Relief, replaced roofs in low income areas where hurricanes destroyed roofs, and worked with orphans in Romania…I’d love to get to do that for a year with no worries of bills!
Sheralyn says
IKEA ME! IKEA ME, PLEASE!!
If I had an entire year to dedicate to helping FT (and not having to do university or work) I would fill my schedule helping other local organizations who are already doing awesome things but need more ground support; school breakfast clubs for impoverished children, helping teen or single moms, and advocating for kids who are wards of the state.
WOO!
Kim J says
IKEA ME!
I think it would be great to start an after school program that was low or no cost so kids would have a structured and healthy place to spend their afternoons.
Catherine says
IKEA me!
I would spend a year starting or supporting a local farm!
Jennifer Miller says
IKEA ME!
I’m a librarian so if I had some extra money and time I’d do something with reading/books for kids.
Matthew S. says
IKEA ME. I would move to NYC & work with the homeless.
McKinzie says
“IKEA ME”!!!
I would LOVE to open a shelter for dogs.
Tori says
IKEA ME!!!
I’d serve another year in AmeriCorps!!
Bethany says
“IKEA ME”
I already work in a village in the Andes mountains of Peru – with $100,000 dollars I would help reinforce houses, build an orphanage, put internet in all of the schools and help start micro-businesses that would grow to provide jobs in the future and help Peru raise out of it’s economic status of being a third-world country.
Melissa H. says
Ikea Me
stanna rysdam says
I would spend the year helping young kids. Thanks, Stanna
([email protected])
Jenn says
IKEA ME!
I’ve always worked in animal rescue — puppy mills need to be obsolete!!!
Jess @ Frugal with a Flourish says
Ikea me! I would spend time working at a battered women’s center. 10 years ago I was in their shoes – thankfully now I am in a happy stable relationship. I would love to give back and help women trying to get out and move on!
Megan Plunkett says
Ikea me!!
I would spend a year volunteering to raise money and awareness for homeless veterans.
Lorie Moynihan-Broedel says
Ikea Me!! I’m an animal lover! I would definitely want to help animal rescue and placement to forever homes!
Julie says
IKEA ME!
$100,000 ? Start local and help it spread. I’d create programs, real and productive that give teens in this small town something constructive to do with their time, empowering them to succeed and pay it forward helping kids throughout the state. There’s simply not enough for teens to do here and that means too many fall into dead end jobs and life choices.
doahleigh says
IKEA ME!
I’d spend a year with an organization that serves women. Or several organizations maybe. Both in the US and internationally.
Carol says
IKEA Me!
I would start an all-girls middle and high-school which would allow entry only based on merit, i.e. like Hunter College High School in the city of Boston.
Alison says
IKEA ME!!
As a dentist I would love to use my skills helping those in need wherever that may be
Gail says
IKEA ME!!!
If I could volunteer for a year, I would use my skills as a reading teacher to work with struggling readers. Children who are good readers are much less likely to drop out of high school. As we have all heard, reading is fundamental!
Lindsey says
IKEA me!!
I would have to think about the project… it would have to be great!
Jess says
IKEA Me!
I definitely would put the year to good use helping kids in the local community