*** 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.
Maria says
IKEA Me!
Definitely, I would help homeless animals.
Alison says
IKEA ME
I would spend the year building a retirement ranch for old, homeless dogs. So often they are overlooked at the shelter because of age. I want to give them a place to roam free and have a good rest of their life.
Beth says
IKEA ME!
I would definitely work with children. Love the idea of teaching middle/high schoolers some real world advice about finances, no debt living, couponing, etc. I’m 41 and have never carried a balence on a credit card (taught by my dad.) What a life changer for me.
ellen says
Ikea me please!
I would travel around helping to build homes…it’s what I did the year between my undergrad and Masters :)
Cari Burnett says
IKEA ME!
Wow! What an awe inspiring challenge for us think about? My mind goes in so many directions when I think about what I would want to do versus what I could manage to do. As a teacher in an underpriviledged school, I think I would use the money to start an after-school tutoring program for those struggling students who don’t get enough one-on-one time during school hours. I would use the money to provide materials and support for the tutoring and also to give some back to the teachers who sacrifice their own personal time to help with the tutoring.
Carrie says
IKEA ME!!!
I would take some kids to places they would never get to see otherwise. My mom teaches kindergarden and she tells me that some of her students have never been anywhere out side their home town. I think traveling with kids is an excellent learning experience, even if it’s just to a museum in the next town over.
Karen Basaraba says
“Ikea Me!!”
I’m a nurse and I have always dreamed of doing mission nursing in places like Haiti, Africa, or Central America. That is what I would do for a year if I could!
Clint says
IKEA ME
I am a police officer, so I am spending my career helping others. It can be very rewarding.
Clint says
IKEA ME!
sanna says
IKEA Me!
I’d spend a year trying to create a program that crosses what Alice Waters is doing wtih farm-to table education and integrating cooking with basic education: so much can be learnt in the kitchen (with baking you can teach chemistry and math in fun and practical ways); all in hopes that students will not only be enlightened, but they will become concientious consumers and possibly spark passion in some!
Ibu says
IKEA ME!
I would volunteer at an animal shelter or a place that caters for the homeless.
Paige says
IKEA ME!
I would love to open a healty cooking co-op, to teach youngsters in inner city cincinnati how to make and eat heathy food!
Katie B. says
IKEA ME!!!
If I had the chance to volunteer for a year, I would probably do some mission work. My church knows many missionaries all over the world, and my church camp goes on one mission trip every year. Unfortunately, I have yet to go, but someday…
IKEA ME! says
IKEA ME!
Volunteer at a child advocacy organization-probably this one if they’d have me.
http://www.protect.org/
Mary says
IKEA ME!!
Jess says
Ikea Me!! If I could help others in would be in the form of working with at risk youth letting them know the options they have to suceed in life and how to get there!
Sara says
IKEA ME!!!
One year helping others… hmmm decisions decisions!
I would love to open a dance studio for down syndrome children and adults. My aunt (through marriage) has a sister with downs and she is a REMARKABLE 52 years old. She LOVES to dance and has so much spirit to her. It would be great to have a full time studio JUST for people like her who don’t see their differences as a bad thing. *tearing up!*
Great giveaway and GREAT question!
Katie S. says
IKEA me!
kimberly says
ikea me!!!!!!!
right now, i volunteer with honor flight chicago. we fly WWII veterans to washington DC to see the WWII memorial and experience a day of honor. i would work with them full time if i could :) these guys (and gals) are sweet, cute, and totally amazing. heroes for sure :)
margaret says
IKEA me! without a doubt, i would volunteer with abused and neglected children.
kara cain says
IKEA me..PLEASE!!!
Jennifer says
IKEA Me!
I would volunteer with terminally ill children & adults to help make their lives easier and/or with the Make a Wish Foundation.
claudia says
IKEA ME!
I would volunteer for a child advocacy organization or rescue animals.
Sheri says
IKEA me!!!! (please). I would volunteer for a local organization that help women who are victims of domestic violence.
Abby says
IKEA ME!!!!
I would travel to third world countries and give chiropractic care to those that do not have care offered to them.
JENNIFER says
IKEA ME!
I would volunteer for an animal shelter or foster animals.
Lindsey says
IKEA ME.
I would (and will ONE day) teach inner city kids how to cook healthy on a budget. Perhaps offer classes for parents, too.
Kathleen says
IKEA ME!
I think it would be cool to buy an RV and travel the States helping people during natural disasters. Imagine pulling up with a truckload of supplies for people who have lost their homes. Nothing could be more rewarding.
Cristina P from MD says
IKEA me!
Emily says
IKEA me. I’d spend a year taking my dog Frankie (my therapy dog) to underprivileged areas to teach children who aren’t exposed to friendly dogs how to act around them, why they can be great pets, and why it’s a good thing to get them spayed and neutered. We currently volunteer at a psych unit in the city, and it’s amazing how many people are terrified of dogs and also become angry when they find out mine is fixed.
kelly says
Ikea me!
I would go around to high schools and help young girls who have learning disabilities know that they are 1. amazing 2. can do what they want with their life, they just might have to go about it a different way than other people. Having had undiagnosed ADHD and learning disabilites, I felt crazy and stupid and wish someone who was a sucessful adult would have told me I may be different and have to do school differently, but that’s cool too.
Alexis says
IKEA Me!
I would help people navigate the confusing health care system.
Katie says
Ikea me!
I would volunteer at an animal shelter.
Brandi says
I would volunteer at a woman’s shelter and help women who have been involved in domestic violence.
Jen says
IKEA ME!
I’d spend a year rescuing animals and finding good homes for each and every one!
Kelly Allen says
Ikea me! I would take that year to raise money and supplies for needy children. I would make sure they had backpacks filled with school supplies, clothes, food, Christmas toys and more.
heather g says
IKEA Me! I would like to work with young girls and helping them with their self image and making sure they felt beautiful no matter what!
Corinne says
Ikea Me! If I had a year to spend serving those around me I would work in child literacy. Kids learn in many different ways and public school is pretty much only geared toward sequential learning. But what about all of the visual-spacial or otherwise? Yes, I would do something with literacy. The world of possibilities opens when a child learns to read. :)
kelly says
IKEA ME!!!
Best give away ever!! who doesn’t love IKEA!!!
JoEllen says
Ikea Me!
Bookshelves and tables and chairs, oh my!
Bonus question: Let’s start a community gardens at each of the area’s elementary schools to feed the hungry.
Celestte says
IKEA ME!
Along the lines of Habitat for Humanity; once their home is finished, help them decorate it and organize it for an uncluttered, stress-free place to relax as a home should be.
Rachel says
IKEA Me!
Work with the church
Kristen says
IKEA ME! I would love to work at a shelter for homeless children. There are a lot of people in my town with lots of kids so I would see how many friends I could get to help too! Then maybe we could help with other things the kids need like clothing, education etc. If only I had the time, energy and money! Thanks for the idea.
Beth Griffin says
IKEA Me! If I had a year to help (assuming that someone would be here taking care of my kids/house/husband/pets) I would do a variety of things……..do a food drive for our local food pantry, collect food for and volunteer at animal shelters, do a pajama drive for needy children, take some time so sew blankets and pillow cases for children who need them……
I’m sure there are so many other things I could do!
Kristen says
IKEA ME!
I would volunteer at an animal shelter.
Kara Castaneda says
IKEA ME!
I would love to open a yoga studio and make it free to attend. In chicago, most classes are $18 and up. I love for people to understand yoga and discover the different ways it improves their life.
Laura M says
Ikea ME!
I would volunteer behavioral therapy for autistic children.
Machelle A says
IKEA ME!
I would volunteer at the library to try to get kids excited about books. It makes me sad when I talk to kids who are the top in their class and they laugh at me when I say they should read a book.
Annie Davis says
IKEA ME!
I would love to open up a “No Kill” animal resuce for all types of animal; from little puppies, to horses to even exotic animals people think should be pets. They all deserve a fresh start at life!
Kassia says
IKEA me!!!