*** 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…
******************************
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.
shannon says
IKEA ME!
i would devote my time to volunteering at the local literacy program and help put together fund raising programs for them.
Blake says
IKEA ME! I would try and reach out to low income youth and teach them self worth through music.
Amy says
IKEA ME! Love the blog…I’d love to work with Habitat down in New Orleans, or really any of the operations working there. My husband grew up in New Orleans, and it hurts him still to see the devestation that’s still there. Thanks!
Amy
Molly says
IKEA me! If I had one year to devote myself to helping others, I would volunteer with my local Animal Care and Adoption Center. Over two and a half years ago, my partner and I adopted our dog from the MSPCA, and she truly makes our house a home now. I want to give back to the organization that took care of her before we came along.
kate fulford says
IKEA ME!!
i would spend my year helping fix our education system. tutoring, mentoring, just supporting both kids and teachers in any way i can!
Sandra says
IKEA Me! I would spend that year in Haiti…doing whatever I could to help battle poverty. Or, work for Blood:Water mission to battle the HIV/AIDS and water crises in Africa.
Lolo says
Ikea ME! Duh… :)
I have dream of helping battered women put the fire back in their eyes and hearts….and I think getting them get back on their feets and finding places of their own to decorate to make them feel like they have a HOME would spark the life back in them and bring a smile to their faces!
XOX
ps – LOVE me some Ikea :D THANK YOU!!
Jennifer says
IKEA Me!
I would start a campaign in my city that would inspire young children to read books, so many kids have no idea the worlds that can open up to them. I think literacy should be every city’s priority.
Steve says
IKEA me.
I’d love to help with a literacy program.
Elaine Harris says
IKEA ME!!
I would like to organize a student/teacher supply relief warehouse where both could pick up needed classroom/art/music supplies. These supplies would have been donated and signed out for free!
Megan says
IKEA Me!
I’d take the year to travel to rural areas in Africa or South America to educate about the importance of clean water and helping to build/provide methods for having clean water.
MISTY says
“IKEA ME”
I would like to set up some type of “young mothers” support group and education class for the teens in the area I live in. There are so many young teen mothers out there who need help and young girls who need to be educated on how important the decisions they are making are.
Jessi @ TheDesignSlice says
IKEA ME
I would start an after school art program for children in low income areas.
Johanna says
IKEA me!
I’d take a year off to work on a great after school tutoring program for under privileged kids.
Laura V says
IKEA Me!
Not sure what I would do…I’m sure there are a ton of local ministries that could use some extra help though!
Anette says
IKEA ME!
Jen says
IKEA ME!
If I could spend a year doing volunteer work, I would do pro bono work as a designer for school buildings that have fallen by the wayside.
Jenna Peck says
IKEA me!
I would help children that are in need in the US. Not just the inner city kids, but rural as well.
bkp says
IKEA ME!
Oh man, a year off? Where to start? I think I’d try to help rescue animals or help with literacy/education programs for at-risk youth. Or maybe work with women’s/domestic violence shelters. It’s hard to choose!
Laura says
IKEA me!
I would open a rescue for retired race horses.
Dawn says
IKEA ME!!!
This is just one more reason to love Ikea! Not only do that have amazing furniture and household items but they are philanthropic! If I won I would without a doubt open a no kill animal shelter and work on a campaign to educate the public about spaying and neutering their pets!
Katie says
IKEA ME!! I would spend a year working for Habitat for Humanity….
Michelle says
IKEA me! I would spend my year trying to volunteer in as many different ways/places as possible. Everything from my son’s school to homeless shelters.
Christy says
IKEA Me!
I would love to make fitness and healthy foods a FUN!!! part of everybody’s life. It makes me sad to see so many people not know how to eat healthy and enjoy it instead of thinking it’s going to be a chore and that to loose weight you have to diet.
Danielle Fernandez says
IKEA ME!
Habitat for Humanity!
Lee Anne Stone says
IKEA me!
I would love to volunteer with families of children with epilpesy and seizure disorders. I would spend my time counseling the parents and the siblings….and help these families maximize their healthcare. Direct them to where they need to go to get the help specific to their child’s epilepsy. I would also work to get Electronic Monitoring Units put in, in Oklahoma where we live so that families who are not able to travel to other hospitals can go in their home state to receive the care they need.
Jenny says
IKEA me!!!! I’d start community gardens all over the place :).
Patricia says
Ikea me! Me and my engineer hubby would work in 3rd world countries to help provide clean water.
nancy says
“IKEA Me” …..
Habitat for Humanity, a great organization.
Amy says
Ikea Me!
I would love to spend a year working with Habit for Humanity!
Stephanie says
IKEA ME!!
I’d spend my year working abroad and teaching in under-privileged towns.
Jessica says
IKEA ME!!!
Wow.. A year to do something good… I think I’d build/re build parks in underpriveledged areas. Kids grow up too fast these days. There need to be more parks and more time for kids to play and learn while having FUN!
Sam G says
IKEA Me!
I would spend a year helping newly single parents get settled, work on resumes, whatever I could to help them start a new chapter in their life.
Marlene says
IKEA ME!!! I would like to help kids learn to read and get them their own books and also encourage parents to read more to their children.
stephanie says
IKEA Me!
I would love to spend a year working with Animal Shelters to find homes for rescued animals! I would also love to be able to spend time promoting organ donation!
Sarah B says
IKEA ME!
I would love to take a year to travel to a third world country (or maybe even two or three!) and help to establish clean water sources, such as through organizations like the Clean Water Foundation of Washington State.
MCC says
IKEA me!
I would love to spend the year helping out at a women’s shelter. I unfortunately know too many women who could use help.
Lauren says
IKEA ME!! I love animals and I would volunteer for an animal shelter. I would also like to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity.
Erin S. says
IKEA ME!
I’d either work with Habitat for Humanity, because I was involved in my college’s chapter so it’s already important to me, or I’d do something with rescuing animals!
Kris says
IKEA ME!
I would go volunteer at a fistula hospital in Africa. After reading ‘Half the Sky’, I feel compelled to do something good for womens’ and childrens’ health.
Ruhiyyih Rose says
IKEA ME!
I would love to help at an orphan care center in Swaziland or Ethiopia, and then educate about child sponsorship programs and the lifetime effect they can have on children. It is a huge dream!
Vicki says
IKEA me!
If I had more time and the training was closer to me, I would like to take the Child Passenger Tech training and spend time educating parents on carseat installation and use/safety.
Maribel says
IKEA me! If I was given the chance to do so, I would like to set up a local organization along the lines of what Ruby Slipper Project does- help lift the spirits of children/teenagers who are in destitute situations by changing their surroundings, giving their rooms or homes a facelift!
Jenna says
IKEA Me!
I would love to work with preemies and their families on getting though the tough times especially at the beginning. My son was born at 32 weeks so it is something I can relate to people with.
Kelly Dyer says
IKEA ME!
I would love to start a program for NICU parents. Having a baby that early is difficult enough without worrying about parking, meals, baby clothes and special equipment.
Grace says
IKEA ME! I would love to spend that time volunteering and helping pregnancy and women centers!
Hannah says
IKEA ME!!!
Holy smokes what a give away. I have always dreamed of starting a non-profit and it would work so well right now with the market as it is.
Taking run down homes and fixing them up utilizing a very green approach – Reuse/Recycle! Then marketing the homes as either rentals or sales for lower income families. I know Habitat 4 Humanity is starting to get involved in renovating existing homes, but I think this a fantastic area to revitalize communities and bring love to homes and find families to love these homes as well as showcasing that GREEN can be affordable when you combine it with some sweat equity and ingenuity.
Jen says
IKEA ME!
I would want to teach a basic personal finance course to adults. It doesn’t take a lot of money to be financially secure when you make informed choices!
Anne says
IKEA ME!
If I had 1 year and $100,000 dollars, I’d volunteer for a year at an orphanage abroad and use the money to set up an ongoing volunteer program so that the kids got regular adult attention and so the staff weren’t stretched so thin.
Amanda says
IKEA ME! I’ve volunteered with crisis pregnancy centers before and am ready to start back up! Y’all looked great on The Nate Berkus Show!