*** 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.
Kelsey Blackman says
IKEA
caroline says
IKEA Me!!
I’d like to spend a year helping to build wells in Africa.
lisa leyboldt says
IKEA me….pretty please!
i’d sure like to introduce some after school programs for kids in the rougher less motivated part of town..
Heather Crawford says
IKEA ME!!!!
please!!!!!!
Heather Rae Crawford
Thais says
“IKEA Me!”
My uncle is a paster and his church has adopted an orphanage in Brazil where we are from. Every month funds are sent there to help with the different programs for the children. I think that is where I would like to go and help.
Victoria says
If I had a year off (and zero money worries), I would rent space from a small strip mall right up the street from my house and set up a community education center where people could come for English lessons and beginner’s computer education. I work at the library, and we have a great demand for these services, but little funding to provide them. The local college provides these, but at more limited hours and higher cost than most people I see can work with. I would like to fill this gap in my community by giving my time to old people, young people, Hispanic, Asian, whoever.
Christine Berry says
IKEA ME! I would love to run a community wide arts program that would foster the love of reading and the arts in little lives ~ Free resources and a stepping stone for the rest of their lives.
Amy G says
IKEA ME!
I would spend a year working with an organization that serves mentally and physically disabled teenagers and young adults in my area. It’s such a great place and it would be wonderful to give more time to the cause!
sarah says
IKEA me!!!
wow, i find that an overwhelming question. i think i would use the year to do what i could to support teenage mothers and also to travel the world to open my eyes to what life outside american wealth is like.
Sam (The Second Lunch) says
IKEA Me!
I could use a few more bookshelves! I’d probably continue working on food projects – health coaching, and working to help change the school lunch system and combat world hunger.
Kate says
IKEA ME!!!
I’d spend a year helping the struggling middle class. The hard workers that don’t quite qualify for ‘help,’ but are struggling. I’d love to take away a mortgate payment for a couple months!
Jesse says
IKEA ME! I would totally do Habitat for Humanity!
Juli says
IKEA Me!
I would start a music program to help some of the kids in the community that can’t afford private lessons.
Ginny says
Ikea ME.
I’d do something to support families with young children with autism, in the form of providing respite or facilitating communication (I’m a speech therapist).
Liz says
IKEA ME!
One of my dreams is to run an orphanage and not only provide children with shelter, but lots of love, attention, and quality education
Angela says
IKEA Me!
If I could take a year off and spend it helping others I’d have a tough time choosing which project to do. Volunteering for a year sounds great – soup kitchens, elementary school classroom, American Red Cross blood platelet donor… (The closets platelet center is 1 1/2 hours away so I’m unable to go twice a week for 3 hours at a time like I used to in college. Now I have to settle for whole blood donations.)
I think I’d also like to set up a community get together website… I’ve seen a similar idea in other big cities and I really think the people of my town could use it. Great for singles, great for couples, great for outdoor enthusiast…
Yup, I’d love $100,000 to put those idea to work… and I’d love $350 from IKEA to put towards my own nest! :)
Priscilla Baierlein says
oh oh oh…IKEA ME!
If I could take a whole year and help others, I would spend the year helping children any way I could. My dream is to travel the world and help children in orphanages. That includes in the US :)
Heather from the bar says
IKEA me!!! I would spend the year volunteering for different things. I would spend Saturday’s building homes in Mexico, the week giving out food at the local church, after school programs at the local elementary school, basically wherever I was needed!!
AbberJabber says
IKEA ME!
I think I would spend the year working with Operation Smile or other charities that provide surgery for children born with facial deformities. I’m a speech pathologist and would love to be there during the process and recovery from restorative surgery.
Liz says
IKEA me!
I’d work in a free health clinic
Kristin says
IKEA ME!
I’d help adults overcome illiteracy.
Sheila says
IKEA me!!
Rebecca says
IKEA Me!
There are so many things that I would want to do, especially working to promote arts education – the ability to use one’s imagination and be creative is so important for development.
Amanda S says
IKEA Me! I would love to help those struggling with addiction.
Ange says
IKEA Me! I would help orphaned children in Africa.
Julia says
IKEA Me!
I think if I had a year off I’d volunteer with local animal rescues. I used to volunteer at the Humane Society and it made me feel so much better that the dogs and cats were getting just a bit more attention (which is important to keep and/or get them to an adoptable personality).
Rabeeya Batool says
IKEA ME!
If I get a chance I would like to help the poor children of Pakistan.
Amanda I says
IKEA ME!!
I’d volunteer at an orphanage in Haiti. There are so many children there that need love and a safe place to call home.
Staz says
IKEA me!
I would start an animal therapy program – pairing up abused and/or traumatized children with animals so they can learn unconditional love again and help animals in the process.
Melissa Tresler says
IKEA ME!
I would like to do some type of volunteer work to help mothers who are breastfeeding.
Shannon says
IKEA me!!!
I would work with an orphanage in Uganda, Africa helping to train the workers on ways they can better meet the developmental needs of the kids.
Orazie Slayton says
Ikea Me.
I would spend a year volunteering at the Atlanta Community Food Bank sorting food to go to persons in need.
sarah johnson says
IKEA ME!!!!!
WHAT??? Ikea you are even MORE awesome in my mind now!!
If I had a year to help others I would choose to help provide medical care in countries where things like vaccines, fixing cleft lip/palate, STD medication, etc are SO hard to get. My hubby and I are both nurses so this would be a great thing to do together!
Jessica B. says
IKEA ME!!
Anne Ghramm says
Ikea Me!!
I would work with the Casey Mckern Pay it Forward Foundation. Helping a young man who received so much help raise money to pay it back to others. This of coarse in addition to the “Balls and Chain Walleye Tourney”
Kerry says
IKEA Me!
I would work with people who needed help applying for jobs and preparing for interviews…maybe start a clothing charity that provides appropriate clothes to help people get jobs?
Kate says
IKEA me!
I’d spend the year tutoring at the neighborhood junior high school (they always need help) and working to develop a school garden, which could be utilized by the school’s science classes, cooking classes, etc. Maybe fewer kids would eat pizza and fries for lunch every day.
Emily says
IKEA me!
If I had a year off…I would do what I’m doing now (midwife) but somewhere that has poor access to maternity care like in Africa.
Ashley says
IKEA ME!
If I had a year off, I’d volunteer for an organization that offers in-home caregivers to families in need. My mom had a caregiver named Philda who became part of our family in the five short months she spent with us.
Beth R says
IKEA Me!
If I could leave my job for a year, I would work with abused and neglected children. Everyone deserves to feel like someone wants to know them.
Rachel says
IKEA ME!
I would volunteer in a women’s shelter or crisis nursery.
Jessie says
IKEA ME!!
I would spend the year volunteering for Meals on Wheels!! Which I want to start doing anyway!
Katherine says
IKEA ME!!
I’d keep doing what I’m doing now– working on my nursing and public health degrees at Hopkins so I can help those with little or no access to health care lead better lives and raise healthy families!
Chelsey says
IKEA ME!
I am in medical school right now, so I would work at a free health clinic for a year.
Julianne Ashton says
IKEA me!
please :)
Jackie says
Ikea me! I would volunteer with the International Justice Mission
David says
IKEA me!
I would love to take a year and work with Habitat for Humanity, helping others in a way I’ve never really been able to do before.
Brianne says
IKEA ME!
Estela says
IKEA Me!
I would spend my time helping underprivileged kids especially those who are abused, live in poverty, have parents who are drug addicts, etc. I would also help single mothers and fathers who are addicts, need job training, education, etc. so that they can then be better parents and better individuals.
Erin says
IKEA ME!!! If I could spend a year off of work to help a charity it would be The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. They help rehabilitate elephants that have been orphaned in Africa and reintroduce them back into the wilderness of Kenya, Africa. I am passionate about elephants and they have always been my favorite animal.