*** 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.
tiffani says
Ikea me!
I would spend as much time and energy I could developing a better education for children.
cc says
IKEA ME!!! (please)
I would like to help low income families battling cancer (if I had the means).
Susan M says
IKEA ME! I would probably do something with Habitat for Humanity, and then who knows.
Jenny says
IKEA ME!
I’d spend the year volunteering at my kids’ schools.
Jamie W. says
IKEA ME!!! I would spend my year doing nursing work that people need yet can not afford :)
MichelleS says
Ikea me!!! I’d spend the year working with autistic children.
Heather says
IKEA me!
A few years ago I moved into a more rural area than I was use to. I noticed that because of entertainment being at least an hour away, drug use and teen pregnancy are rampant. There is literally nothing for these kids to do! I would love to build a community center to help support the community and give these kids something productive to occupy their time.
Emily says
IKEA me! So I can re-do our office since the termites that ate our wall, are gone! If I had one year for volunteer work, I work work for a no-kill animal rescue, transporting animals from kill shelters to other nokill shelters, foster dogs, and train dogs for working with the disabled.
leslie says
Ikea Me. The volunteer project is awesome. I have another year before going back to work (babies, you know) and I’d love to use the money to improve our local elementary school which serves as an inclusion school for children with physical disabilities. Specifically the playground needs to be made accessible for those on crutches, walkers, or using a wheelchair.
Katy M says
IKEA ME!
I work for a conservation non-profit now and love it. But if I could spend a year doing another type of work I would use my time to educate people, especially kids, about nutrition and the importance of eating healthy foods, preferably from local sources. Learning these habits early on could help children avoid health problems later. I’d love to work with schools on installing community gardens too so the kids could see fruits and vegetables grow.
Kelsey says
IKEA ME! This is an easy one to answer: my husband and I would spend a year helping expand microfinance at the international level, probably in southeast Asia. We’re both passionate about it, and we’re hoping to take a year off to do that in the next 5 years or so.
Jackie says
IKEA ME!! I would spend my year volunteering at the local children’s center!!
Debbie says
IKEA ME! I would use my time and resources to volunteer with the youth, summer camps, mentoring, etc.
Mindy Clarke says
IKEA ME PLEASE! If I could take a year off I would help in the efforts to improve downtown and inner city Kansas City. I have always thought that Kansas City needed a better way to reach out those less fortunate and supply job/skill training. Almost like a small community college but non for profit. Also the shelters and food pantry’s need a lot of help!
Heidi Snyder says
IKEA ME!! If I could spend one year to help people, I’d go back to Jamaica and help at the deaf schools there. Many people don’t realize there is a very high rate of deaf in Jamaica, and they are shunned by society (unable to get jobs, etc.) I would love to spend more time there and help where needed!
Cher Foley says
IKEA ME!
I would spend my year physically rebuilding our public schools. I drove thru inner-city DC over the weekend, and it is very sad to see the state of disrepair the schools have fallen into inspite of Michelle Rhee’s celebrity (sometimes I wonder who this focus is really on).
Mary says
IKEA Me!
I currently work in my city’s nonprofit sector working to improve green spaces and egage folks with their environment even in the midst of a metropolis. I would love the chance to do even more to get people engaged with the world immediately around them. Everyone’s quality of life improves when you are rooted in the community you occupy.
Jenny says
IKEA ME…Please! :)
If I could take a year off, I would volunteer at our local battered woman’s shelter.
See ya!
Brittany says
IKEA ME!!
I would spend a year working with an animal shelter!
kait says
Ikea me! I’d give it all to a couture hand bag designer friend of mine who teaches at-risk or imprisoned women to sew her market bag patterns as a source of income once they get back on their feet. 100,000 bones would buy a LOT of sewing machines, no?
Liz says
I’d spend my time/money with underprivileged youth in my area – probably start a before/after school program.
Melissa says
IKEA Me!
I’d spend a year helping the schools in my city promote the importance of parental involvement at a young age. From reading to supporting their children… that’s so important from the start!
Jonda says
IKEA ME! If I had a year off, I would volunteer my time with the American Cancer Society.
Betsie says
IKEA ME! We actually just took a 7 hour round-trip drive there this weekend to pick up the Klobo loveseat for our toddlers’ shared room. I’d spend my year (and my $100K) working on the adoption process – my husband and I dream of being able to do an international adoption but unfortunately aren’t in the position to be able to take a (very extended) break from work to travel overseas or take any sort of maternity/paternity leave to help a new child acclimate.
Jennifer says
IKEA ME!
I volunteer now at my local children’s hospital, working with families of patients. I think if I had the money I’d try to help get these families from out of town have a comfortable place to stay while their children are being treated at the hospital. There are places, but not enough, and sometimes not affordable.
Beth H. says
IKEA ME!
I’d start an afterschool drama program for local isd’s who’ve had to cut their arts staff and funding.
Heidi says
IKEA me! I would spend my year helping at-risk teen moms learn the basics of caring for their children. We see this lack of education and compassion way too much and it is SO needed!
Erika Krysiak says
IKEA ME! If I could take a year off, I would work with military widows. Their husbands and wives sacrificed so much for us, it would be wonderful to give back to them. I would love to work with individuals to assist them with career planning, going back to school or entering/re-entering the work force.
Julie says
Ikea me!
I started an improv class for at risk kids when I was in college…I’d love to do that on a bigger level. The kids really needed to vent, and that seemed to be the perfect outlet.
Alicia says
IKEA ME!
I would spend a year donating legal services to the working poor who make too much to qualify for Legal Aid but can’t afford the high price of representation.
Andrea Feliz says
IKEA ME!
If I could take a year to volunteer I would work with inner city kids in after school programs geared at literacy.
Jaclyn says
IKEA Me!
Tiffany says
Ikea Me! :-)
If I could take a year off I would work with inner city youth to help stop the violence that is permeating our cities. These young people need guidance, mentoring, and life lessons. I would target at risk kids to help them turn themselves around before they turn to gangs and violence.
Caryn says
Ikea me!
I would volunteer at a children’s shelter helping care for abused kids pulled from their homes.
amalia says
IKEA Me!
If i had a year off to help others, I would love to open a non-profit center for career development and educational assistance. There are too many high school students who are unaware of the many post-graduation options… there are numerous unemployed individuals who need assistance with resume skills, interviewing practice, and general job seeking.
Leslie says
IKEA ME!
I would spend a year in an orphanage.
Carree S. says
IKEA ME!!! (please)
I would definitely somehow work with underpriveledged children…..
emily says
IKEA Me!!
with a year off i would like to travel to developing communities in impoverished areas and help implement a higher standard of housing and hopefully build on sustainable concepts already present in many low technology cultures.
Sara Brinker says
Ikea Me! I would spend a year helping Gebre improve the Hope Orphanage in Mekelle, Ethiopia.
Jessica Madison says
IKEA ME!! I would absolutely LOVE to be able to help children in any way…especially children who come from abusive households. Giving back to children in need is the greatest feeling!
AJ says
Ikea me! If I had a year to give, I’d spend it working with Heifer International. http://www.heifer.org
LibbyS says
IKEA Me!
I’d work in any capacity assisting disadvantaged children or abused animals.
Reid says
IKEA me!
Work with underprivileged children.
Courtney Hightower says
Ikea Me!!
I love the humanitarian aspects of Africa and other countries. I’d love to spend a whole year volunteering at a non-profit organization (like World Vision) that helps orphans all over the world.
Danielle says
Ikea me!
I would spend a year volunteering with Compassion International.
Kim says
IKEA ME
I would help needy animals or go to Romania and help orphaned children.
Josie Morgan says
Ikea ME! I’d spend more time working with our respite care program for special needs children and adults — not just with the guests, but working in the community to recruit more volunteers to help us reach those families that could really benefit from the short-term break.
Bret says
IKEA Me!
kathy everitt says
IKEA ME!
I would spend a year focused on education and healthy school lunches!
Alissa Lorentz says
IKEA Me!
I would join the Peace Corp and help individuals overseas.