*** 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.
lauren says
IKEA ME!
I’d volunteer at one of those animal shelters for the pets of women suffering from domestic abuse.
Jacque says
IKEA me!! I would volunteer at a homeless shelter/soup kitchen. Nothing is more inspiring or invokes such a feeling of gratitude in me than to hear others’ stories and be able to touch their lives somehow for the better…Funny thing is that they usually touch mine more.
geoffe says
“IKEA Me!”
I would spend a year with the Courage Center helping children and adults with disabilities.
whitney says
IKEA ME! homeless children and families.
Mary Kathryn Elkins says
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE IKEA ME! I would spend my year working on a non-profit that I am on the board of called Circle de Luz. It is a completely volunteer run organization that offers 2-3 programs per month for Latina girls identified as economically disadvantaged by the Charlotte public schools from seventh grade through twelfth grade. We also provide them a $5,000 scholarship upon their graduation from high school.
Julie Mautner says
IKEA Me! I would like to do something with needy kids.
Katelyn says
IKEA me please!
I would go back to Nicaragua where I volunteered for a 6 months with an NGO working with Rural Sustainable development.
Maureen says
IKEA me! Where to even begin at that wonderful store!?
I would love to volunteer for an assistance dog foundation. Assistance animals truly change the lives of those with disabilities!
Sarah G says
IKEA ME!
I would volunteer for a year, touring middle schools students in math and science and developing hands on lesson plans. It is really a critical time to expose them to the subjects.
Sarah says
IKEA Me!
Habitat for Humanity is calling my name for 1 year of service :)
Felicity says
IKEA Me!- I would swing a hammer with habitat for humanity
Katie Kramer says
ikea me please! I would volunteer at a animal hospital and maybe even take in some recuse dogs.
Kai says
IKEA ME please… I have so many things I would like to do if I could… I’d love to help rescue animals, but I also want to work with children who have been abused or neglected (or spouses that have been abused). I wouldn’t really know where to start, though!
Sarah says
IKEA Me! I’d love to travel to Haiti to help out wherever necessary- perhaps at an orphanage or elementary school.
stephanie says
Ikea me please! I would love to help minister to people in under privileged countries.
Kristy says
IKEA, me!!!!
I’d rescue dogs. Huge, huge, huge doggy lover. :)
Cindy says
IKEA ME! I would spend a year helping people get their homes in order or cleaned – Like single moms or the elderly.
Janie P says
IKEA ME!
If I had a year to do anything, I’d likely volunteer to work for the local women’s shelter full time. It is a cause that’s super close to my heart, and I know having a free full time volunteer would be a huge help to them!
Barbara says
Ikea Me! I would spend the year helping the people & animals impacted by the gulf oil spill.
Stuart says
Ikea me please!
Lindsey says
ikea me!! I would love to organize scholarships for girls to attend secondary and tertiary schools in countries where very few have the opportunity to do so.
Lauren says
IKEA ME! I would definitely want to open an animal rescue center…I’ve always dreamed of buying a patch of land somewhere and opening one! Helping those who can’t help themselves, they say :-)
Megan says
IKEA ME! I would definately volunteer with the elderly. My grandmother just passed away from Alzheimer’s — the time I spent with her I know she cherished — just something to break up the otherwise long, boring days.
Michelle Foley says
IKEA Me!!
I would spend a year working with and advocating for underprivileged children from all walks of life. I would also be interested in rescuing animals and advocating for humane amnimal shleters and against kill shelters.
Laura says
IKEA Me
I would take a year to build young women of developing country’s self confidence through education!
Francis C. Moore says
IKEA ME! I would do more to help the Food Pantry in my area.
Sarah says
IKEA Me! I’d volunteer at a retirement center- play the piano for the residents and just sit and chat. I’d imagine it would be mutually beneficial :)
Stuart says
Ikea me please! I would help to start a food pantry for families.
Barbara says
IKEA ME!
I would start a program that helps teach lower income families how to shop for more nutritious ingredients without breaking the bank, then how to cook healthy, cheap and fast meals the whole family could enjoy.
Grace Hester - The Productive Mom says
IKEA ME!
I would like to set up a business center where I train a selected group of low-income and driven moms on running their own online/ecommerce businesses at a low-cost. The initial money will go towards office rental and equipment and initial inventory/content investment, and shared on-site daycare for their kids. They would each be product managers of their own brand and be guided by volunteers who have run their small business successfully. They would keep the profits they make but a small percentage fee will be applied to sustain the business and to add more women to the group.
catherine says
ikea me! i would (along with my husband and daughter) work with children in war zones, working in education and conflict resolution, as well as helping to teach them to not continue the cycles of violence and retribution that are currently tearing apart huge parts of the world.
Morgan says
IKEA ME!
I would spend part of my time in Blue Fields, Nicaragua helping rebuild the community. My aunts have been traveling down there for the past 30-40 years and helping them build orphanages, schools, and whatever else they need.
I would also love to help some close friends who lost their baby after an early delivery. They built a non-profit organization called ella’s halo that strives to improve NICUs in our area and improve the support that is given to parents with an infant in the NICU.
I feel like I would have a lot to give if given this opportunity.
Maria Soeder says
IKEA ME!!! Muchas Gracias :)
My mother on Saturday mornings along with other ladies from her church distributes coffee and breakfast sandwiches to the homeless in DC area (Latino community). She’s such a great inspiration. I would like to open a shelter for the latin community that would provide the help and resource for them to get on their feet.
susan says
Ikea Me! Ikea is my favorite store! When I read the words Hooray for the every day on their catalog I wanted to put them above my front door to remind the kids that EVERY DAY is a big Hooray if we enjoy it. What would I do with $100,000? Find a way to make housing for individuals with down syndrome affordable and available…… Since I have 3 kids with down syndrome this is a passion of mine. Susan
Katie says
Ikea me! I would help with lingering oil spill effects!
Caitlin says
IKEA me! I’d teach kids to dance.
Aimee Couture says
IKEA Me…please. If I had one year to give of my time, I’d spend it working with Sports Outreach Institute both in Uganda and State-side. When most of the programs to eradicate poverty end up stripping folks of their integrity and value, SOI stands firm in its resolve to build up the poor with life-giving, sustainable measures. You can dress up a room, you can dress up the hurting and suffering of the world but if you don’t really invest and breathe life into dark spaces, it’s nothing more than a facade.
Jessica says
IKEA ME !!!
I would volunteer to help the unemployed get jobs!
Trisha says
IKEA Me!
I would spend the year volunteering for animal rescue organizations.
Rachel says
Ikea me!!!!! :-)
I am big into health and nutrition and would love
To be able to lead a type of ministry teaching others about healthy eating/cooking. Lead real-life classes on navigating a grocery store and then using those ingredients for simple, healthy meals! Poor diet in our country accounts for so much sickness and disease. Many just don’t know how to begin.
Rebecca says
IKEA ME!
I’d work at a Ronald McDonald house…organizing activities for siblings and helping to cook dinners for families of children in hospitals.
Jennifer Maddox says
IKEA ME! I would start a community garden for an inner city neighborhood in my town.
Toni says
IKEA Me! I would definitely like to work with children.
laura says
Ikea me.
if I had the time and money, I would open a preschool program through graduation program for under privalaged kids.
Manda says
IKEA ME!
I would love to help others live a more green lifestyle! Oh, and saving puppies and kittens too!
Sarah says
Ikea me!
I would spend my one year volunteering for the youth for christ in our community. I just love youth!!
Andrea T. says
IKEA Me!
I would love to be able to purchase one of the amazing old homes in Detroit that are rotting away and start a mentoring program with local youth and local skilled workers and renovate the home. There are so many people out of work and the kids would be learning a useful trade first hand. Then sell the home to make money to buy more to expand the program!
jennalou says
IKEA ME!!
I would help our community open the youth homeless shelter that they have been hoping for for over a year.
Sally Blanchard says
Ikea Me!
I’d use the money to start an urban garden program in my neighborhood.
Marie says
IKEA Me!
I just found your blog via The Nate Show and I LOVE it!!! :)
If I had one year to volunteer I would work with teenagers to teach them about leadership, acceptance and diversity. I would love to empower young people to become leaders in their communities to fight bias, bigotry, and racism through advocacy, conflict resolution and education.