*** 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.
Kate says
IKEA me!
Being a former teacher- now stay-at-home mom- I would love to go back into teaching and help those students who need it the most as in Teach for America.
Ann says
IKEA me!
I would help people get and learn to use computers who don’t normally have access to them.
Ashley says
IKEA ME!
I would love to do anything to help out with animals in need!
Laura says
IKEA ME! I’d love to work with habitat for humanity.
Erin says
IKEA me!
I would love to take a year off to dedicate time to animal rights, and help promote a spay/neuter program.
nicole says
Ikea Me! I would spend the year going to retirement homes and visiting with the patients there. I find something so warm and wonderful visiting with elderly people who really just want to tell their stories. There is always a need for someone to listen!
Aaron says
IKEA ME! I would do something with outdoor conservation, volunteer at a national or state park probably.
Keegan says
IKEA me! I would love to do something with animals
Amy D says
IKEA ME! I would volunteer at animal shelters and try not to bring all the animals home with me!
Linda says
IKEA Me!!
I would love to work with chilren in low income populations. Help clean up their towns:))
Erika says
IKEA ME!!
I would spend that year coming up with a way to continue whatever philanthropy I decided on for the rest of my life. I would probably concentrate on education once I had all the balls rolling.
Malorie says
IKEA ME!
If I could volunteer for a year I would build houses with Habitat for Humanity.
Cynthia says
Ikea me!
I’m a librarian by trade, so I think it would be exciting/fun to set up a library and technology center in a low income area.
Daniella says
IKEA me!
I would spend a year in Bungoma, Kenya helping the grassroots organization “RUCEBO.”
Maggi says
“IKEA Me!” and…
I would help stay-at-home mommies, clean for them, do laundry, run errands, do overnight care so new-mommy can get a full night of sleep…stuff like that.
Carrie says
Ikea Me!
I would spend my year working with Girls on the Run trying to bring their incredible program to more towns around the country.
Bree says
Ikea ME!!
I think I would like to volunteer with little kids. An after school program sounds like hard work but its would be so much fun and uplifting.
Maggie says
IKEA ME!!!
I was an diver and college and would love to spend my time volunteering and coaching a diving age group team.
Jessica says
IKEA ME!
Actually, my husband and I JUST started a non-profit after school program called Seeds For Change. We are really excited about it!
Angie C says
IKEA Me!
If I had a year to make a change in the world, I would work to lobby for more playrooms in hospitals. I was honored to already participate in designing/constructing two playrooms in my local community to allow children who are hospitalized to feel like kids again. I’ve also been fortunate enough to live in a community where others participated in the project and the local Junior League funded the playroom construction in partnership with the hospitals. My son suffers from a chronic genetic illness, and has spent months in the hospital since he was born 10 years ago. I first identified the need for these playrooms when my child was just a few months old. I saw families whose children were in the hospital for weeks at a time, with no place to “play”. With a chronically ill child, you look for windows of time where they even feel like playing, and fully embrace those moments. But when a child is stuck in a hospital bed, with few toys, it is hard to keep their spirits positive and encourage the positive attitude that is so important to “get well” again. I have seen the smiles a hospital playroom can inspire, and it’s humbling. I would be honored to help educate other service organizations and hospitals about the impact these spaces can have on the mental and physical well-being of our tiniest resources!
Mallory says
IKEA me!
Meredith says
IKEA Me!
I would work with kids who don’t have the home life they deserve.
Leah E-H says
“IKEA Me!”
If I had a year off I would spend my time volunteering for the local food bank, Skate Like a Girl, and at my daughter’s school. All organizations deserving of more help. It’s hard to choose!
Jen says
IKEA Me, Please!
Holly says
IKEA me!
I would volunteer to help people do family history.
Dave says
IKEA me!
I would volunteer with Habitat for Humanity or a similar organization.
Shyla Thompson says
“IKEA Me!”
I would spend time creating a new education system. Oops, is that too hopeful ;)
Penny says
IKEA ME! And I would love to volunteer for a year with different non-profit organizations and helping them stay a success. So many have had to close their doors because of the recession! :(
Natasha says
IKEA ME!
I would start a campaign to help kids avoid drugs and the harmful effects.
sara jane says
IKEA me!
I would take the year off and work with Habitat for Humanity.
Katie says
IKEA ME!! I would spend time helping teen mothers! Especially now that I’m a mom, my heart just goes out to these girls that have to juggle motherhood, school and so much more at such a young age!
Shevon says
IKEA me!
There are so many volunteer opportunities out there. I think I would be torn between working with suicide prevention, family budgeting, and just starting up a new not-for-profit in an area that needs it.
Marianne says
IKEA Me! I’d do interview clothing consults for women entering the job force.
Georgia says
Ikea me! I would probably work on food & clean water projects around the world.
Theresa says
Ikea Me!!! Please! :)
I would love to spend a year volunteering in animal shelters!
Matt says
IKEA me!
I would most likely help out with Habitat for Humanity or some other similar program, if I had a year off.
Amanda says
IKEA ME! If I could take a year off I’d be able to go to school FULL TIME and would also have the time to volunteer at animal shelters in NYC and animal clinics (so that I can eventually apply to vet school :)
beekeebear says
IKEA Me!
I’d do something related to conserving and protecting our nation’s wildlife and wild spaces!!
CPMiller says
IKEA me! I would volunteer to read stories to kids in preschool (in preschool book-related costumes : )
Neal Carlton says
IKEA me!
I would spend a year as a running coach for disadvantaged youth.
Robin K. says
IKEA Me!
I would spend my year with pay and without my job at my kids’ elementary school, developing an after-school tutoring program that would help low-income kids with challenging home situations keep up and thrive. I would also like to provide snacks, clothing, and weekend nutrition packs for these same kids since many of them come from families struggling to provide the basics (although they live around the corner from affluent neighborhoods). It’s a disparity that causes all kinds of self esteem issues in low-income kids and I’d like to help resolve that.
Megan B. says
IKEA me!
I’d work with our local animal shelter Lucky Dog or the Doodle DRC.
Kimberly R. says
IKEA Me!
Oh my goodness, what a great question. I would love to have a year off to do something like this! I’d probably travel somewhere and teach reading and math to women in a country where they historically don’t get the chance to have an education.
Colleen says
“IKEA ME!”
I would like to volunteer with rescuing animals or in children’s hospitals or with habitat for humanity
Toni says
IKEA ME!
I would spend a year helping a library that doesn’t have the means-financially or physically-to get their card catalog in a digital format and help them organize their materials in a way that is usable for their patrons.
Mark A says
IKEA Me!!!
If I could take a year off I would take my volunteer work for CASA and step it up a notch. I would work to find a better way to allow information to be tracked and improve communication between agencies particiapting in juvenile abuse and neglect cases.
Nicole says
Ikea me!
I would love to spend a year mentoring pregnant teens.
Trish T says
IKEA Me!
If I had a year to spend as I wished, I’d volunteer at the local animal shelters and would foster retired racing greyhounds in my home.
Beth P. says
IKEA me!!! Please!!!
If I had a year to volunteer, I would most likely volunteer for an animal shelter. I did it several years ago on a part-time basis (but still had a regular job). But I would love to be able to do it full-time.
Oh, and if I won the giftcard, I would totally spend it on the Trofast storage system and use it to organize our playroom in the basement.
Elizabeth says
IKEA Me!
I would be a full time coach and volunteer for Girls on the Run. http://www.girlsontherun.org/