*** 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.
Ariel says
IKEA Me!
Even though I’m already a teacher, I would work with children making sure that they have all the essentials for life outside of school – a place to sleep, weather-appropriate clothes to wear, food to eat,a family to love them
Laura says
“IKEA Me!”
I would work with women who are victims of domestic violence.
Amanda says
IKEA ME! I am an RN and I would love to travel to third world countries on medical mission trips and provide healthcare in clinics or hospitals for children in need.
Lydia says
IKEA ME!!!!!’
I would definitely help animals. Rescue animal shelter and help funding medical needs for all the little furry creatures. :)
Erika Rebstock says
IKEA Me!!
I’d love to be able to counsel for free full time, instead of just part time.
Sarah Rogers says
IKEA ME!
I would do everything I can to help improve the conditions of the arts programs in our public schools. The arts are far too under supported nowadays.
Paige says
IKEA ME!
There’s a local charity here in Chicago that fixes up houses and provides shelter for refugee families. The goal of the charity is to help families save up enough money for a down payment on their own house by giving them free/inexpensive housing when they first get to the States. I’d spend my year fixing up the next house in line.
Heather says
IKEA Me! I’d volunteer tutoring kids or adult ESL students.
Alina says
IKEA ME!!!
KellyMichelle says
IKEA me please! I have never been there but I have dreams to one day go! — My fiance and I would gladly spend the year helping abandoned and abused animals if we had the opportunity. We are just animal lovers <3
Stacie says
“IKEA Me!
I’m a registered nurse and I work with mostly geriatric patients. I’ve always had a big heart for the elderly people in my life and I think it’s important to give back to the ones who’ve gone before us. I would choose to spend my time talking with geriatric patients at nursing homes and assisted living facilities. It is also part of my dream to have a therapy dog that I can bring along and spread a little love in that way.
chelsea says
IKEA ME!! I would love to help promote education in third world countries. I recently read Three Cups of Tea and love his ideas.
Lindsay says
IKEA ME!!
My husband and I have been working for the past few years to move to Africa and partner with another young couple who have opened a children’s home. My husband and I would be in charge of the baby home. So, we would take every cent of that money and purchase land, build a home and rescue infants that have been abandoned by women who had no other choice.
Heather Phillips says
IKEA ME! If I had a year, as a currently looking for work teacher I would spend a year teaching all those kids who don’t qualify for help through special ed, but are falling dangerously behind. They just need more time and more help someone to sit down with them to get some extra one on one attention…it could mean so much.
Deb says
IKEA me! I would help cuddle newborns in a NICU.
Patricia Jones says
Ikea Me! If I could spend $100,000 in a year doing anything I want I would start a program called Read Right at the school I teach at. It helps children who struggle with reading become excellent readers in just one year.
Patricia
Sydney says
Ooooh ikea Me please! If I had a year off I would travel to different countries and study their education systems to bring back to the US in order to improve our public education for all kids.
Kristy says
IKEA ME
A year of doing good would definitely be spent working with high students who can’t read. Literacy is a key to the world so many kiddos don’t have. Without the key, they’re locked inside.
Kim says
IKEA me, please!!!! I would spend the year working to help victims of domestic abuse.
Linda says
IKEA Me!
I’m not sure what I would do. I’ve always wanted to help out with Habitat for Humanity building homes for people in need. Or maybe start a mentoring program for at risk kids in my area……..or help out at an animal shelter.
Andrew says
Ikea me- I’d give free guitar lessons.
Kim says
IKEA me, please! I would spend the year working with victims of domestic abuse.
Cara says
“IKEA Me!”
I would spend my year on a variety of different philanthropic projects. I’d like to spend some time in a different state working with Habitat for Humanity as well as within my own area with the organization. I’d like to volunteer at a soup kitchen in D.C., and especially cook a holiday meal as part of a group or work team for a shelter. Volunteer at a battered women’s shelter, do something instrumental with children, and spend a great deal of time volunteering overseas.
Rachel says
IKEA ME! Being a teacher, I would volunteer at local libraries, helping at-risk families learn how to bring literacy into their homes. OR I would spend my time at a hospital caring for preemies. (I was a preemie – just 2lbs at birth!)
Beth C says
IKEA ME!
I would do animal rescue. My husband and I are always bringing home strays and finding homes for them–or sometimes keeping them! We’ve talked about opening some type of shelter if we ever win the lottery.
jen says
ikea me! i would give it to my daughter’s school because it is broke!
Alena says
Ikea Me! I would work with the Polaris Project to end Human Trafficking.
Danielle says
IKEA ME!
I’ve always wanted to go to Africa and volunteer…I’d do anything…help build schools, hospitals, wells, work in a clinic, teach, etc…I’d love to do that for a little while.
Also, my mom has dedicated her life to people with physical disabilities, she’s the director of an adapted sports club and has always wanted to open up a summer camp for physically handicapped children and their families. If I could, I’d dedicate all of my time to helping her find the financing, getting grants, and the manual labor of starting up that camp.
Kristy says
Ikea me! I would continue volunteering with Military Ministry.
Marie Leppard says
IKEA ME! I would volunteer my skills as a hairdresser to nursing homes and to women who are trying to get back into the work force.
Amanda says
IKEA me! :)
I would love to start a pitbull rescue. Hubby & I adopted a pit mix two years ago and she is a huge lovebug. We love her to pieces! I find it incredibly disheartening how misunderstood and feared pitbulls are, and the statistics on how many are destroyed at shelters because the breed is ‘un-adoptable’ are just awful. Anyway, I would open a rescue to help pitts, and devote resources to fighting misconceptions about the breed. :)
Lindsay McC says
IKEA ME!
I would love to start some kind of program in my home town to combat childhood obesity. The rates are alarming, and kids need to learn how to stay active, motivated and healthy.
Ilse says
IKEA ME!!!!!!!!!!
I would work with youth who have parents who use drugs/alcohol – supporting them and helping them grow.
Diane Stonicher says
Ikea Me
I would spead a year helping mothers and children in homeless shelters by planing and giving a monthly birthday party for all the children in the shelters. I love to plan birthday parties and I think the children living in the shelter deserve a great party each month to let them know they are loved. Some of the children may have never had a birthday party. Thanks Diane
Meagan says
IKEA ME!
I would work with battered women & children, offering assistance with daycare, finding jobs and helping them find quality counseling.
Clare says
IKEA ME!! I would start a rescue center for dogs and cats who were found as strays where they could all be rehabilitated and become best friends!
Judy Burmaster says
Ikea Me! I would start my own school that provided high quality instruction for teen parents.
Erin says
IKEA me!
If I could spend a year helping others, I would volunteer with an organization providing community-based programming to people with disabilities.
Melissa says
IKEA ME! I would love to do anything to help children or animals. Traveling to third world countries would also allow me to appreciate all we have to offer in this country too.
valiha says
“IKEA me!”
My husband and I just moved to Chicago (from St. Louis). In St. Louis, where I was happily employed, a friend and I would volunteer our time every Thursday morning at a soup kitchen and provides breakfast for those who couldn’t afford it themselves, the homeless and those in need. Now I’m in Chicago (job searching… uugh!) i’d love to find a place where I could donate my time again. It would be great if I could give that money to help a charity out, while working with them to help the community!
Cooepr Hoffman says
Ikea me pretty please so I can replace my heavy masculine bedroom furniture with more updated and gender neutral furniture, art and accessories. Prior to having children I was a high school history teacher with a passion for building my students’ self esteem. I would love, love, love to life coach teenagers.
Saumya says
IKEA ME!!
I would love to start a shelter for abandoned, abused or sick animals.
Sarah says
IKEA Me! I’d help doing something in education.
Katie T. says
IKEA ME!
I would do something working with children in need!
Kelly says
IKEA Me! I would help inner city kids excel in school!
Anna says
IKEA ME! I would spend the year working with underprivileged/overlooked teenagers in the school system – after school, before school, whatever was needed.
Barbara says
IKEA Me! I would pick a elementary school where test scores are low and do anything I can–help with reading, help with fund raising, etc.
Kathryn says
IKEA ME!!!
I would love to spend time helping to continue rebuilding New Orleans, my hometown.
Anna says
IKEA Me!
I would love to spend a year volunteering for our community beautification program. I could use my skills designing, photographing, building, painting and planting spaces around our city for others to enjoy with their children, pets and friends.
Rachel says
IKEA me!
Yay for IKEA! They truly are making the world a nicer place to live. With a year at my disposal for altruism, I would work on programs to improve access and utilization of preventative health measures and healthy food choices in urban areas. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!