*** 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.
Melissa says
IKEA ME!
i would volunteer helping families of sick children. Help them cook, clean, whatever they needed to keep functioning through that terrible time in thier life.
allison says
IKEA ME! I’d work with the WorldRelief agency helping refugees
Jamie Marks says
IKEA ME!!
For the past 6 weeks I planned a large fundraiser for my 17 yr old cousin who was diagnosed with Lymphoma. It took ALL of my spare time, my house was seriously neglected! The event was this past Saturday, and we rasied over 25k!! Such a huge success in a short amount of time. I would love to volunteer as a fundraising coordinator or do something to help raise money for those without the ability to do so, and still have time for my own diy house projects :)
Nicola says
I would spend my year working in health care for the underserved.
Nicole says
IKEA Me!
I would spend a year volunteering at a local Children’s Hospital.
Heather H. says
“IKEA ME” I’d spend my year running an after school sports center. Nothing like sports to help kids stay motivated and out of trouble!!!
Katie B says
Ikea Me!
If I could spend a year helping others, I would donate my time to the Farm to Table program, which brings fresh, healthy, local food to Vermonters.
gray says
Ikea Me! I would volunteer with our friends that own a small, not-just-for-profit business in Jinja, Uganda that employs women trained as tailors who would otherwise be vulnerable to poverty and violence. The business has recently installed a water harvesting system to provide clean drinking water for the community without having to walk several miles to the closest well.
Brittany says
IKEA ME!
I would volunteer with rehabilitation animals or work with a ministry in a foreign country.
KimberlyH says
IKEA ME! I was just thinking this morning that I was due for an Ikea trip…. If I had a FULL year to give back to others, there is so much I’d want to do- but it would definitely include volunteering at my nearby nursing home and in some after school programs for kids that need some good role models in their lives – a little goes a long way!
Anu says
IKEA me
I would use some of the money towards a micro finance organisation. some of it towards a school which focuses on teaching skills for women & also something towards scholarships for kids towards college.
Thanks for putting this together. These contests are fun!
Shaunelle says
IKEA ME!!!
There are so many kids in the system who aren’t taught basic life and etiquette skills. I would set up a program to teach them the basics.
Shelley Davis says
IKEA ME…PLEASE.
If I could spend a year helping others, I know exactly what I would do. I would open a free respit center for parents of special needs children. My husband and I have adopted 3 five year old children with special needs. I sit at occupational therapy and speech therapy every week and meet so many parents dealing with children with special needs who are mentally and physically exhausted. I always wish I could take on their children for a time just to give them rest. When you have children with special needs, you can’t just leave them with anyone. So anyway that would be what I would do.
Thanks for the great give away
Lindsay says
IKEA me, please :)
Wow – $100,000 – that would be tough!! I would rather give the money away to other nonprofits who do incredible work, I think. There are already so many amazing organizations out there that I could support with that amount of money!
veronica says
Ikea Me! I would volunteer at our hospitals Ronald McDonald House.
Ashley says
Ikea me! I would spend the year traveling the world and doing free medical clinics in third world countries, also visiting group homes/orphanages and hopefully taking one home!
Liz Stine says
IKEA ME!!!
I would open a community center for teens in the small town I work in. I work with at-risk youth at an alternative high school and they have NOTHING to do in this town, except get into some trouble. I would also involve them in developing the community center so they would feel some ownership of it. :)
Kinsey says
IKEA ME! I would love to help at an animal shelter. I rescued my two dogs, Moe and Memphis, from a no-kill animal shelter.
mary says
IKEA ME!
I would help the local food bank in my community. They spend so much time just keeping the necessities in stock, I think they could really benefit from someone to coordinate and organize more community involvement, awareness, and fundraising.
Rachel says
Ikea me!
I would do something to help teen moms have the best start with their new babies.
Sarah Carlson says
IKEA ME!!
I would spend a year helping make the orphan and vulnerable children project I’ve worked with sustainable.
Jessica says
IKEA ME!
I would do something for the children. I work with low to very low income families and it is the children that need and deserve extra attention. If a change is going to be made it so much easier to do so when they are young. Break the cycle, so to speak.
mel says
IKEA ME!
i’d love to start a college scholarship fund at the youth shelter where i’m a counseling intern. those kids have no family, and certainly no money to use toward a college education. how fantastic would it be to offer them hope of a better future?!
Tiffany says
IKEA ME!
I would like to spend my time helping in a womens shelter with women or children.
Shannon says
IKEA ME!
I would volunteer at a no-kill animal shelter and/or do art therapy with kids :)
Lauren says
IKEA ME!!! I would use my one year to help children in foster care who are waiting for adoption. I would do things to help boost their spirits and hopes. I would plan activities to get them together so they know they’re not alone. I would start a support group for adoptive parents. I would like to start a fund to help raise funds to provide for the kids’ wish lists so they can have the things that all the other kids at school have (ipods etc)
MK says
IKEA me!
I would volunteer to be a mentor to underprivileged youth in my community.
Kristine says
IKEA me!!! I’d take the year and spend it organizing fundraisong events for MS and St. Judes.
Kenna says
Ikea me! If I had pay for a year, I would volunteer as much as possible at my kids’ school to have more time with them. I would also love to do a mission trip, something not possible when you have 3 little ones and a set income. Thanks for such a great giveaway!!
Katie says
Ikea Me!! I would set up a program to help the families of children in the hospital. I guess it would be similar to the Ronald McDonald house, but I would incorporate more activities and care for the siblings of the sick children.
Megs says
Ikea me, please!!
I would spend time helping single mothers find needed resources and teaching time saving methods for getting things done. :)
Becky says
IKEA ME!!
If I had a year off, I’d start a program to teach teens and their parents how to cook with fresh, healthy foods, and then donate the food from those classes to a local shelter.
Meg says
IKEA ME! I’d volunteer at a free clinic.
Ashley says
IKEA me!
I would start an after-school tutoring program for spanish speaking students, giving hispanic students extra help with their homework since most of the time their parents cannot help them at home.
Terrie Balthaser says
Ikea Me! With that kind of money I would “adopt families” to help them meet their needs. Then for Christmas I would make sure their kids had presents under the tree.
Kelly says
IKEA ME!!!!
Jen says
IKEA ME!!!
I would spend a year providing dental care to the underserved population in rural Southwest Virginia.
Cheryl P. says
IKEA Me! So many things I would do! Volunteer more with helping children cope with a sick family member, tutor undeserved children/teens, and volunteer with a program that helps serve people without dental care.
Emily says
IKEA ME!
I would volunteer at an animal shelter and also foster rescued animals
John says
IKEA me!!!!
IKEA me!!!!
IKEA me!!!!
Amber says
Ikea Me!!!
I would create a program for children and their parents. My husband and I both grew up on farms and now find ourselves in a city neighborhood… yet we still want our son to experience all the things we did growing up. Planting a garden, raising animals, horseback riding, riding in a combine, cooking a homemade meal from scratch. We’d love to create something where families could come enjoy a day together and experience the truly simple things life has to offer.
David says
this would make my wife really happy.
Corrie says
IKEA ME!
I would spend a year doing something with my hands — habitat for humanity, or other non-profits such as that. Gotta put my DIY skills to work!
Elizabeth says
IKEA ME!
I would spend the year working with Pur Water on their Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program in Africa
Kathie says
IKEA Me!
My great love (aside from my family and close friends) concerns animals. I would love to have the time to devote to getting homeless animals in loving homes and people who need a bit of unconditional love a special, previously unwanted, friend. And to help those whose financial situation makes caring properly for their best friend difficult. Whether it’s a dog, cat, bird, iguana, rabbit or guinea pig, each animal deserves our protection and care.
Tonja Morris says
IKEA ME!!!
I would spend my year sabbatical working for Habitat for Humanity. I believe everybody needs a home.
Ryan Waldron says
IKEA me! If I had a year to help others, I’d devote my time to teaching kids math and science as that knowledge has made me who I am.
Rachel S says
Ikea Me! If I had one year to work helping others, I’d want to work in underprivledged school as a tutor to help kids to do well in school and therefore be inspired to continue their education.
the artist says
IKEA Me (please)!
I would like work with organizations that provide care and schooling for special needs children. So many of them are under funded and staffed. Some of the most important life lessons I learned from children who didn’t even know they were teaching me.
Maureen Rollman says
Ikea me please! I would spend my year volunteering for Special Olympics.