*** 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.
Nicole W. says
IKEA ME!
I would love to assist at our local humane society, our dog is a shelter rescue and it would be so awesome to help out there on a regular basis.
Mary W says
IKEA ME!
I’m an event planner at a non-profit now, but I would love to plan events for Make a Wish or Special Olympics!
Jenni says
IKEA Me!
I would definitely do a big sister after school program!!
Katie V. says
IKEA ME!!! If I had a year to do anything I would volunteer every day – at my kids’ schools, soup kitchens, the library, wherever I was needed in my community!
Cara says
IKEA ME!!!
I would love to spend time volunteering for an animal shelter.
Christine H says
IKEA Me!
I would start my own nonprofit!
Page says
IKEA Me!I’d love to help put an end to human trafficking!
Kate says
Ikea me!
I would love to help homeless kids-make sure they had clothes and books and some sort of stability.
Megan says
IKEA ME! I’d love to spend a year with Habitat for Humanity.
Mike D says
IKEA Me!
Emily says
“IKEA Me!”
I would move to Africa and start a school for girls!
Traci says
IKEA ME…
Holy cow, that’s a good giveaway!
If I could spend a year helping others, I would definitely volunteer a lot of time with literacy programs. I can’t imagine how hard it would be to get through life’s daily grind not knowing how to read. I would also focus on healthy eating education, because the obesity epidemic here in my home state of WV is out of control.
lynzee says
IKEA ME!
I would love to full time volunteer with the Helen Woodward center. I would love to give my time caring for, training, rehabilitating lonely dogs while they wait to find new homes.
Hannah says
IKEA Me!
I would love to spend a year feeding the poor in our local community.
niki says
Ikea me!
I would spend a year feeding the homeless.
Christine aka The Stampin' Ninja says
IKEA Me!!!
Wow, that’s a tough one… Choosing just one way I’d like to spend my time volunteering… I just can’t do it. This is actually something I have wanted to do for a VERY LONG TIME so if you could share with us how to enter in contest to win that $100,000 I would really appreciate it.
My heart goes out to those that are homeless and I would definitely want to work with them – I’d like to figure out a way to help them acquire jobs (work on resumes, further their education, attain job attire) while also building more homes for humanity for these people and helping them get their dignity back. In my mind it doesn’t matter why they’re homeless only that there is someone, SOMEONE out there to help them if they want to change their situation.
I would also love to work with animals in pounds and shelters. Even if it’s just getting high school kids together to go over to their local shelter and play with shelter animals so that they feel loved… Maybe organize a fundraiser to buy them warm, cozy pet beds and treats (how many shelters do you know that can afford to give these precious pets treats?)
And while doing all that I’d love to work in a retirement home/senior care facility. The elderly are our history – they are why our generation exists. They lived long lives serving others and now we need to serve them. Entertain them, assist them and love them when it’s difficult for their families to do that for them alone. Host dances for the senior centers and day trips to local tourist hot spots. Have groups make holiday cards to send to them and cakes baked on their birthdays…
It is my dream to be able to volunteer and not have to worry about the financial tole it would take on my family of four to just give my time for no monetary payment in return. I can only imagine how emotionally fulfilling that would be and my life needs some emotional fulfillment, how ’bout yours?
Sorry to go on and on – it’s just that you touched on one of my dreams, one of my passions. Volunteering. I wish I had more time to do it. I’d love to win the gift card and redo a room in my home (because boy, they could all use a makeover) but even more I’d love to be given the time to volunteer. There are SO many worthy causes and people that need other people. Thank you as always YHL for this opportunity!
Sincerely,
Christine aka The Stampin’ Ninja
ana says
IKEA Me!
bonus question: I would like to help kids learn to keep their neighborhoods clean or work with a program that teaches kids how to farm and grow their own foods!
Sarah says
IKEA ME!!!
I would take the year and tutor disadvantaged kids between the age of 13-16 in the hopes of influencing to make good decisions about their future.
Anna says
IKEA ME!
I would travel to foreign clinics and do volunteer medical work!
Sara says
IKEA ME!
I would be a foster mommy to puppies who need a good home. I adopted a puggle in January and I would love a whole bunch more!
Eileen Curinga says
IKEA Me!
If I could, I would spend an entire year in Appalachia working with ASP, Appalachian Service Project making homes warmer, safer and drier.
Hannah says
IKEA ME! Pretty Please!
Megan says
IKEA ME!!!
I would love to spend a year working in a women’s shelter
Jelena says
IKEA ME!
I would probably volunteer at the local food pantry.
Lauren Reed says
IKEA ME!!!!
I would spend a year working with the elderly.
Melissa says
IKEA ME! (pretty please?!)
Funny you should ask… I’m getting my degree in investments just for that purpose. If I can avoid the grind of a 9-5, and be able to not work in an office for a year, my dream is to run music and art camps for children in 3rd world countries, and to be able to fully fund them myself.
Melissa P says
IKEA ME!!!
If I could spend more of my time helping others it would be a toss up between opening an animal rescue center or volunteering my time to help the less fortunate understand proper nutrition.
Love your blog!!!
-mp-
Holly says
IKEA Me!
I’d love to spend a year working with literacy foundation.
Cris says
IKEA Me
I’d invest in my littlest sibling’s Ski Club. It is nearly 50 years old and the buildings and equiptment are showing. This is one of the only sports programs in a very tiny and isolated rural Alaskan town and it has served so many kids.
Molly says
IKEA Me!
Leah says
Ikea me!
There are so many things I would spend a year doing. I alwasys wanted to join the peace corps, but once I had kiddos that went out the window. Now that I am a mother, I think my efforts would go towards helping children in some fashion.
Stephanie says
IKEA ME!!!
I would definitely work at some sort of animal rescue organization. I am an animal lover and would absolutely love to spend time rescuing animals!
erin says
ikea me! $350 at ikea could go such a long way!
I don’t know exactly what i would do for a year, but it would involve animals. i’ve been volunteering for an animal rescue organization for about 5 years now and that’s really where my heart is. dogs rock. (and cats too!)
Barb says
IKEA ME!!
Brittany says
IKEA ME! I would love to donate a year of my life to so many organizations and causes, but I think the Sunshine Foundation is pretty spectacular.
krista farrell says
IKEA ME! I would raise money to fund adoptions…thru banquets and bake sales and all sorts of different things!!!!!
Jess Y says
IKEA ME- please- I live a couple blocks from one. I am not sure what I would do. I would like to help abused children or with family counselling. Thanks Ikea for the giveaway.
blair s says
IKEA ME!
Lili says
Ikea Me!!
I would really love to ikea-fy my house… so…
If I was to have one year of sabatical to help out, my and my whole fam (hubby and three kids) would go on mission trips. We have been dying to go to Uganda, and the Philipeans, and Costa Rica, where our church helps several missions, like an orphanage, housing project, and a growing church. We have not been able to go because of money, but that would allow us to be involved in an amazing life-changing experience!
J Smith says
IKEA Me!
Bethany says
IKEA ME!! Such a great give-away! Thanks Youngsters!
Jyl says
IKEA Me! I’ve been lucky enough to volunteer a few times at The Widener Memorial School in Philadelphia, PA. It’s school for mentally and physically disabled children. About 95% are in wheelchairs or walkers. Many of them live below the poverty line and are so medically fragile that they rely on the school not only to provide them with an education, but with all their life experiences as well. I’m happy to say that I’ve supported many events at there- face painting at their annual carnival, made costumes for their Halloween parade and backdrops and props for their various plays and presentations. I am so grateful when I am given the time to impact these children through art and expression. They are so inspiring and full of love and gratitude for their volunteers. If I had a year to do anything at all, it would be to help improve that school by supporting their arts and music program and planning special adventures for the students. It would mean improving my life by fulfilling me creatively, and in so doing, improving the lives of so many brave and deserving children.
Rhi says
IKEA ME! I’d love to spend a year working with SMART.
Kelsey says
IKEA me!
I’d want to spend my year presenting environmental education to kids in schools and building school gardens.
s leigh says
“IKEA Me!”
I would definitely do something for kids and/or families!
Lauren Losavio says
IKEA me!
Kim A says
“IKEA Me!”
I would take in used free furniture maybe from freecyle and rehab it. Then I would give it to those in need or sell it and donate the proceeds to an organization that provides food to people in need.
Laurie P says
IKEA ME! I would love to spend a year filming people in their everyday jobs to give others a glimpse into their careers – with the hope that this would help others understand and appreciate people’s roles, responsibilities and daily issues.
Jess says
IKEA ME!
I would spend a year volunteering at Give Kids the World Village in FL. That’s where families stay when they visit Disney through Make a Wish. It’s an absolutely wonderful place!
Christen says
Ikea me! I’d work with at-risk students after school, helping them to get caught up!