*** 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.
Sonia says
IKEA ME!
I would use it to put children rescued from trafficking on scholarships for school.
Melly says
Ikea me!
I would love to be able to take on a therapy animal that I could bring to local senior centers. So many people in that situation would love to have a pet but are not allowed and seeing them hold and pet a dog or cat would make my day.
Amy says
IKEA ME!!
My idea was originally Elizabeth’s- teach young people about finance! But my back-up idea would be to take 1 underprivileged child a week to a major symphony concert, and sit behind the orchestra in the choral terrace. Sometimes people need an emotional, joyful, and awe- inspiring experience to push them to the next level, leave them with a sense of humanity and beauty, and give them something to remember in their lives that was truly special. For me, classical music heard up close and personal by the best artists in the world is a unique gift truly worth receiving.
Mallory says
IKEA ME!…please.
I would help terminally ill people get to experience their dream wedding.
Cameryn Davis says
IKEA me!
I would love to start a resource center for families and individuals affected by special needs specifically Autism where they can receive free resources including daycare, behavior therapy, speech, occupational therapy, you name it!
Jro says
Ikea me
I would spend my year helping children
Courtney says
IKEA me!!!!
gina says
ikea me!!! i would volunteer at a no kill animal shelter.
Allison says
IKEA ME!
Volunteer for a child advocacy organization.
Jessica says
IKEA me! Please :)
Karrie says
IKEA me! If I had a year, I would work towards peace, teaching people how to work through conflict, as I believe that until we are able to resolve and reconcile conflict in our homes and relationships, we can’t expect to have peace worldwide.
Claudia Poduska says
Ikea Me! Pretty Please!!!!
I would help out at a battered womens shelter. Helping women and kids get out of abusive relationships and patterns and making new lives for themselves.
Thanks! :)
Tara says
IKEA Me!
I would help build houses and schools in poverty stricken countries around the world.
Khanh says
IKEA Me!
I would mentor underprivileged children or set up a literacy program to help children learn to read.
emily m says
Ikea Me! I spent 2 weeks doing medical work in Haiti this summer and would absolutely go back for a year.
margo says
IKEA ME!
I would research and provide health care services to those in need in my whole city!
Paige says
IKEA Me!!
I would educate people about cancer prevention and help target funds to aid in important research measures
Sarah S. says
IKEA Me!! — I would do anything to help children in need!
Tisha says
ummm…pretty please…IKEA ME…cause i really need some stuff from there, and I am a BROKE teacher, that is secretly wishing she could take a year off (since I am always getting laid off anyway—thanks California—) and decorate my house and volunteer at schools using my expertise for FREE! OH and BTW–you two were so cute on Nate today. I loved watching—cause it felt like I knew you!
Nikki says
“IKEA me!” If I could spend one year helping others, I would love to volunteer for an organization like International Midwife Association. While “modeling kindness, compassion and strong ethics”, these sort of organizations are about pre and pari, and postnatal education for local midwives and often offer maternal/child healthcare in other countries. While I am not a midwife or doctor, I know that organizations like these need willing hands with open hearts to keep them running both stateside and overseas. What a dream it would be for me to be able to do this. I’m going to enter the IKEA “Life Improvement Project”, thank you for telling us about this opportunity and offering this giveaway too!
Momnivore's Dilemma says
Ikea Me.
I would open up a non-profit art center on Chicago’s northside. There are NO art schools within a five mile radius of my home. During the day, I would offer programs for seniors and preschoolers. After school, kids and teens. At night, adults…
or
I would open a non-profit that would focus on bringing organic foods into urban schools. Educating parents and families about nutrition.
Ah, the endless idea pool…
Ann Hansen says
IKEA ME!
I would spend a year with my cousin down in Mexico City, who just opened up a home for girls rescued from sex trafficking.
Cecelia says
IKEA Me! Wow, a whole year. I would love to work with Habitat for Humanity, building homes for families in need.
Erin Ransdell says
IKEA ME! I would — hands down — volunteer by holding regular, free, parenting support and behavior management seminars for parents of children with significant disabilities. Or, I would provide respite care to families who deserve date nights, but can’t have them, due to a lack of sitters. I work as a school psychologist now and see both as HUGE needs in our communities!
Kelly says
IKEA me!
I’d love to be able to help out military families!
Jennifer says
IKEA Me!!
Crystal F. says
“IKEA Me!” I would volunteer with Habitat for Humanity & try to go on a shoe drop with TOMS shoes!
Liz Doidge says
IKEA Me!
I’d spend a year doing more working in veteran hospitals. Helping those that have kept us free.
rachel says
IKEA ME!
i’d develop a program to ensure that all children get to experience the arts.
Tricia B. says
IKEA Me! If I could do something good for a year, I would cook for a soup kitchen.
Kaylee L. says
IKEA ME!!!!
I’m actually hoping to do that with my life. Finishing up nursing school and want to either work in a clinic in the inner-city or overseas!
Lisa says
IKEA Me!
I would spend the year to establish a community library somewhere in Bolivia or Peru.
Amanda says
IKEA Me!
I’d spend my year volunteering abroad in an ESL program.
Korie says
IKEA Me!
Does planting trees count? I would definitely be up for a year of tree-planting! We could always use more trees! If that doesn’t count, then probably doing something to bring fresh water to villages in Africa.
Shannon says
IKEA ME!!
I would volunteer with Christian Veterinary Missions helping farmers to utilize their livestock resources to better take care of their animals and ultimately family!
Jessica Floe says
IKEA ME!
I would pack only my camera and a notebook and travel to places of suffering, poverty, and loss around the world. I would listen to their stories, the ones nobody hears, then tell the world about them. I would be the voice for those who can’t speak loud enough for our crazy world to hear. Then, maybe, someone WOULD hear the stories or see the photographs and want to change a life. And maybe that would have a domino effect around the world and we’d see true lasting change be made in peoples lives.
shari says
IKEA ME!!
IKEA ME, Please!!
I would like to help in our local schools. Teachers really can use a hand and dollars too. And the Children!, well!, they can use any offer of time that a person is willing to give! Can I say that specifically I would love to help my nephew who has just begun his teaching career.
Anne vdH says
“IKEA Me!”
I would help more kids finish their highschool by a tutoring program that i am already part of – but i can only spend 6 hours a week on that right now!
Kiersten Jones says
IKEA Me!
I’ve already spent the last year volunteering! I went to Ethiopia and Mexico on mission trips, and worked (for free) in the Missions department at my church. I suppose I’d do more of the same if I was given another year to volunteer. I’d like to spend more of my time out-of-country, though.
Alexi Barber says
IKEA me!!
Tania says
“IKEA ME”
I would want to help children who are terminally ill experience their greatest wishes. Basically, I would want to work with Make-A-Wish.
Zohreh says
IKEA ME!
I would volunteer at a shelter for womend and children.
Gigi says
IKEA me!
I’d spend my year working with young at-risk mothers, helping them learn about positive parenting skills and child development.
suzanne k says
ikea me!
I would help the children in the US get the healthcare they need.
Emi says
IKEA ME!!!
I would create a one-on-one personal tutoring service specifically for African American and Hispanic students. The tutoring service would go beyond academics, and it would include a “big brother/ big sister” like component where tutors would focus on learning about the personal interest of each child. Tutors would then routinely take students to visit different hands-on real world businesses to keep them focused and motivated to work hard to enter their dream field.
Crystal says
Ikea me!
I’ve always wanted to build snazzy, stylish, and friendly senior housing – with small stand-alone houses surrounding a community garden for the senior peeps to get their sunshine and socializin’ on =)
Rah says
IKEA Me!
I would work with teenage girls in a work study atmosphere. I want to give teenage girls a sense of self-respect and self-worth! Often that is taught through hard work. :)
Jacki Bracken says
IKEA me!!!
One of my favorite service projects I ever participated in was building houses and schools in Mexico, I would do it for a year given the chance :)
Lisa Womack says
Ikea me!!!!!! If I could spend a year helping people I definitly would spend it helping the kids in my town.
eileen says
IKEA ME!!
I would return to Afghanistan and use the money to fund microenterprise and education projects.