*** 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.
Emily Baer says
We have friends who live in Africa and build foot bridges for villages that have been affected from deaths by flash floods, animals in the water, etc. I think I would spend my year helping them build bridges to save lives!
Liz M says
IKEA ME!
I try and foster animals throughout the year for my local shelter because they become overrun with cats that dont find homes as quickly as they would like. I would love to take a year to do more fostering as well as working at the local shelter getting the word out about animal adoptions, and helping to campaign to get as many of these sweet animals adopted by loving, caring homes. It would also be great to educate people on spay/neutering their animals as well so more animals don’t end up in this world in need of homes!
Jan says
IKEA Me!
If i had a year to help others, I would set up a foundation to help our veteran’s overcome any mental diseases or conditions they suffer from, so that they can acclimate as best they can to society.
Laura says
IKEA ME! If I had a year to do public service work, and the ikea money to fund a project, I’d establish a non-profit that would help women in developing countries to have access to micro finance and banking so that they could start small businesses to support their families or become financially independent!
Kevin B says
IKEA ME!
I would like to spend my year starting a after school program that focuses on encourgaging kids to learn about science and technology!
Ivonne says
IKEA ME!
I would help the Tarahumara Indians in the Sierra Madre of Chihuahua (Mexico) where whole communities are suffering from leprosy.
Janis says
IKEA Me!
I would work with a Haitian organization to help local, farmer entreprenuers to export the fruits of the land (which are not well know) all over the world, and set up a system so that the profits go back to Haiti to help build their infrastructure.
Chrissy says
Ikea me!
I’d like to spend the year working with young women who’ve been rescued from human trafficing in NYC. I was a victum of sexual abuse as a child, and would love to share my life & time with women who have lost their sense of self worth & are desperate to find hope and direction in their lives. I’ve always wanted to have the time to invest my full time attention to these girls who need so much. It would be a dream come true to win the contest.
Alisa says
IKEA ME!
I would like to help foster children.
Melissa says
IKEA ME!
What would I do for a year? It would be something to help children, something really concrete that at the end of the year I would know I had done something. I think it would involve making sure kids were warm, fed, and safe.
Marit S. says
Ikea Me!
I would like to work with Habitat for Humanity or Peoples Self Help Housing to build a house for a good friend of mine that has had a very hard life so she and her kids could have a place that is all their own that they know they will be able to be in forever. I bought my first house this year and I want them to have the same amazing experience. (she actually just told me she wants to get the same Ikea couch that I have when she gets her next apartment!)
randi says
IKEA ME!If I had a year to spend helping others, work with the local arts organization creating murals to beautify my city!
Kelly K says
IKEA me!
I would spend the year helping kids learn to read. So many kids are behind in that important skill!
Jill L-G says
IKEA ME!
If I had the time (and dollas) I would definitely put it toward an after-school program for the Milwaukee Public Schools system. I grew up in Milwaukee and went to its public schools, which are known around the US as some of the most segregated, most underachieving schools in the country.
Erin says
IKEA Me!
I would like to help organize programs/drives to help those without jobs prepare for interviews. Haircuts, clothing, practice interviews…things that the labor department cannot provide.
carlijean says
IKEA me!! I would love to work with young moms and help them start their family with healthy nutrition and good living habits.
Laura says
IKEA ME! I would help my local public school district to adopt a healthy lunch program, set up walking school busses, and possibly partner with local farmers to supply the lunch ingredients as much as possible. Healthy kids + a strong local economy. Yay!
CC says
IKEA ME! If I had a year to help other people I would volunteer with an children’s literacy program. Kids have great imaginations, and it’s always fun to help them put their stories to paper!
Tom says
IKEA ME!
I have a soft spot for animals, so anything involving helping animal shelters.
Amy says
IKEA ME!!! Please :)
I would love to have a year to volunteer with kids in foster care system. They could really use it.
Randi says
IKEA ME! If I had a year to help out others I would work in an after school art program!
Kristi says
PLEASE IKEA ME!
Jenn Roberts says
{{{IKEA ME}}} ’cause I think IKEA would liven up our 100 yr old blissful bungalow:)
I would organize a club/foundation that offers leadership training to fathers or care takers of young boys. The foundation would not only train fathers to be leaders in their homes; it would focus on teaching/guiding boys through the tough growing up years. I want to help men see that a true leader is selfless, service driven, respectful, disciplined, & willing to lay his own life down for his child/neighbor/loved one. We cannot impact the world if we don’t make changes within.
Katie F says
IKEA ME! If I had a year to help the community I would split my time between volunteering with my church and helping with the local United Way.
Kellie says
IKEA ME!! I would spend it in South Africa with some friends of ours who are teaching an abstinence-based program in the school systems there. Amazing!!
Kelly says
IKEA me!
I would volunteer to work with children and help improve the education system in America.
Linda says
i.k.e.a.m.e.
I would dedicate my time to women with children who have been victims of domestic violence.
Julia says
Ikea ME!
I would be a foster parent for young kids.
Jessi E says
IKEA ME!
This is such a hard question for me-so many people/animals/causes need help. I think if I could spend one year helping out, I would spend it helping with kids in some way or another.
Wendy B says
IKEA ME!!!
I would love to volunteer for Make-A-Wish!!
Lupakitty says
IKEA ME!
I would help for a full year over at the Save A Pet that was close to being closed this year. It is unfortunate that they have low funds and a ton of pets being dropped off there due to a lot of people losing their jobs.
Kendra Gilbertson says
IKEA ME!!!!!!!!!
I would spend the year volunteering for Susan G. Komen for the Cure to support breast cancer research & awareness!
Teresa says
IKEA ME!
i would love to work with animal shelters to get their animals adopted.
Kelly says
IKEA ME!
Most def build an animal shelter!!
Suzanne says
IKEA ME please. :)
Megan C says
IKEA ME!I would work in/open up a children’s home for neglected and abused children
Carrie says
IKEA ME!
I would start a high quality daycare and preschool at which I would offer free childhood development training for low-income, under-employed mothers or fathers who are often unable to work due to lack of affordable childcare. These parents would receive subsidized childcare during their coursework, and would become employees at the daycare when they had graduated. This would provide both income, job skills and experience, while eliminating the childcare barrier.
Kate says
“IKEA Me!”
I would spend a year working for hunger-related causes in the US.
Hannah says
IKEA ME!
I would spend that time working with teenagers who have lost a parent. I know first-hand how hard it can be to deal with it along with everything else that comes along with being a teenager and how just having someone there to listen helps so much!
Stephanie S says
IKEA ME! Pulease!
If I had a year, I think I would establish a local community clothing exchange. Something missing in my community.
Jackie D. says
IKEA ME! I would volunteer to help homeless pets.
Krystle says
IKEA ME
Laura Miller says
IKEA me!
Amber O. says
IKEA ME! I’d volunteer at our local Center of Hope.
Mindy in Indy says
IKEA me!
I would join the Peace Corps.
Erin says
IKEA ME!!!
How exciting! I would spend the year with my husband at the EGO Orphanage in Dessalines, Haiti. We spent a couple of weeks there in July and it was the most life chaging experience, and we would love to go for a year!
Megan Cook says
IKEA ME!
I have always had a heart for underprivileged children and would love to dedicate my time mentoring/listening/tutoring them. In my experiences, many of these kids have way more to offer than their current circumstances allow and I would love to help their little voices be heard.
leslie says
ikea me! :)
Ana says
IKEA ME! My husband and I spent 10 years of our lives in China working for a non-profit helping poor, orphaned, and street children get an education they so desperately need. Our dream is to go back and continue doing this when our daughter gets a little older.
Clara says
IKEA ME PLEASE!!!!
I’d set up an urban vertical organic farm and work on a model that can be replicated.