*** 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.
amyks says
IKEA ME…I would work on developing an after school program at my children’s school, that covered not only the basics, but the Art and the Sporting aspects of education.
Christi says
IKEA ME!! I would love to volunteer at a children’s hospital — maybe the NICU — to help children, families who are at the hospital for long periods of time.
NancyY says
“IKEA Me!” I’d love to spend the year helping to educate young people about food and nutrition with a local community garden that partners with a school. Think locally!
Rana says
Ikea Me! I would do some sort of reading program for all ages.
Kristin R says
IKEA ME! (please!!)
I live in DC where there are a lot of issues with our public schools. So, I would love to spend a year volunteering in the schools and at after-school programs helping these students avoid gangs, drugs, etc. and giving them a chance to succeed in life! I’m also a sucker for animals, so working with shelters is always fun to do!
Jessica S says
IKEA ME!
I’d be overseas telling others about Jesus Christ and the free gift of salvation he freely offers for anyone who accepts. I’d also be working to meet their physical needs too (food, medical, etc)
Ann says
IKEA ME!
I work for a free standing non-profit as an Occupational Therapist. We treat special needs kids with all types of disablilities and we let them come whether they can pay for the services or not. If I had a year sabbatical, I would volunteer where I work because this is a very hard economy for non-profits our clients need help!
Cindy says
IKEA ME! I’d spend a year helping inner city teenage girls – learning how to get a job, apply for colleges, study, etc.
Emily W. says
IKEA ME!
I would volunteer with an adult literacy program. I have done so in the past and found it incredibly rewarding.
Wendy Dickey says
Ikea Me
Given the opportunity to spend one year doing for others, I would spend that year raising funds and soliciting services to build homes for habitat for humanity. In one years time imagine the number of dreams one could make come true, not just for a single person but for multiple families, giving them something that they can call their own and no one can take away.
abby says
IKEA ME!
I would help the puppies.
Andrea says
IKEA Me, Baby! Yeah!
jenny says
IKEA ME! I would love to take the time to help my friend’s organization, invest (at http://www.choosetoinvest.org).
Amanda P. says
Ikea Me!
Rebecca says
Ikea Me! If I had a year off and $100,000, after I caught up on sleep and housework, I’d be tempted to go back to school. I believe If I packed in the summer classes I think I could get my degree.
Cass says
IKEA ME!!!!!!!!!!!!! I thought long and hard about the question you posed, and this is what I came up with: I would help fund some kind of progam that would help those who are adopted. I have found in my experience that there aren’t may resources, i.e.conventions, gatherings, meetings, ect…. that help the adopted. I find it rather sad because it is a demographic that encounters life long challenges.
Taslim says
IKEA ME! I’d spend the year taking portraits of people in need.
Kristi Clements says
IKEA ME!
I would move to Guatemala (my favorite place in the world) and love on babies in the Aids Orphanage we worked in before.
sarah says
Ikea Me!!!!
I would work with after school programs for underprivileged kids.
Genevieve Unfred says
“IKEA Me!”
I would spend a year overseas doing disaster relief/mission work. I have been on multiple projects focusing on war ravaged neighborhoods as well as squatter camps working with youth. I’d LOVE to focus a year’s effort in one of those places again!
Andrea M. says
IKEA ME!!
I would spend a year working with preschoolers in low socio-economic areas helping prepare them for kindergarten.
Diane says
IKEA ME! I would spend the year volunteering at my kids school.
Lyndsay says
IKEA Me!
I would spend a year working at a non-profit called Avalon. Avalon is center that provides assistance to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. I would help them develop their public-policy arm of their organization to help them generate more funding so they can expand their shelter and create more resources.
Megan M says
“IKEA Me!”
I would spend all my time working with the animal shelters in our area. We recently adopted a shelter dog and love her to bits. It would be great to help as many animals as possible.
Jessica Maloney says
Ikea Me!
I would spend the whole year volunteering for Project Compassion- a homeless ministry program through my church.
Ileana says
IKEA ME!
I would help the Women’s Center in my community by holding seminars to teach administrative and tax prep (I’m a tax accountant) skill to arm women with skills to go into the workforce.
Stephanie says
IKEA ME! I would spend time helping animals or children because I feel like they need the most help and support because they cannot help themselves
Kristin says
“IKEA ME!”
I’d spend a year visiting with shut-ins. It’s lonely being stuck at home all the time. I’d bring books, kids, animals, whatever it took to entertain and encourage.
Erin says
IKEA ME!
I would love to spend a year helping homeless and needy animals.
Jane says
IKEA Me!
I think I would start a literacy program for adults and children struggling to learn to read.
Tracy says
IKEA ME! I would love to spend a year working with one of the many great organizations that hopes to put an end to animal abuse. And if I had more free time, I could foster a bunch of animals that were waiting for their owners to return from deployment!
Meghan says
IKEA me!
I’d choose somewhere I’ve never been, in the US or abroad, and go work with an organization like Habitat for Humanity.
Jessica says
IKEA ME!
If I had a year to devote to charity I would work on projects, both designing and building, for Habit for Humanity nationally and abroad.
Keegan says
IKEA ME!
Ikea Me! says
IKEA me!
I would like to start a free English language clinic for recent immigrants.
chance says
Ikea me!
I would start a free soccer club for talented athletes who otherwise could afford to play at a club level.
Nell Sobota says
IKEA ME..PLEASE!
I would like to spend a year volunteering with Project Home, repairing and rebuilding houses belonging to families who cannot afford the upkeep on their own. Not only would I be able to help others, but I would also gain tons of DIY knowledge as an added bonus!
jodanders says
IKEA me. I would donate and volunteer at a no kill animal shelter. Dogs and cats are my weakness and I told myself–if I ever have the money–it would go to the dogs (and cats).
Deana says
IKEA ME….
If i could help out I would offer healthcare services to the homeless. I am a nurse and offering such simple preventatives services would be so beneficial to many homeless people out there.
Barbara says
Ikea me….Please!
WOW what a great opportunity for anyone and so many great causes listed! My year would revolve around helping children.
Samantha Taylor says
IKEA Me!
I would love to help out at animal shelters all year. It would not only be fun for me but great for all the animals I would be able to help as well!
Chris says
IKEA Me!
I would love to use my non-profit skills (from years working in the non-profit world) to help some local organizations with whatever they need most. I learned so much in my 10 years doing non-profit work, I’d love to pay it forward.
Samantha says
IKEA ME!! :)
I would love to volunteer at a no kill animal shelter!
Christina says
IKEA ME!!!
I would set up a leadership academy for young women in high schools to show them how to reach their potential.
shana says
Ikea me! I would love to start a kid’s club for children who need some attention and love from adults.
joanne moy mcIntyre says
IKEA ME!
i would love work with animals…both our pups are rescues and i couldn’t imagine our lives without them!
Amanda S. says
IKEA ME!!
I’d love to help animals or the environment in some way. I’m not sure how or what but I would definitely be on the search for something along those lines!!
Amanda says
IKEA Me!!!!
I would love to work with children with special needs. My best friends little boy is special needs as well as my cousins little girl….they have a special place in my heart!!!
Erin M says
IKEA ME!
Wow, an entire year? I would love to help out animal shelters. Being in a big city, there are so many homeless animals that don’t get adopted. I think there has got to be a way to find them permanent places to live.
Julie B. says
IKEA ME!
I would really like to work at a domestic violence shelter, assisting women and children as they transition from shelter to living on their own.