*** 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.
katherine says
IKEA ME! I love love love IKEA!
Ashley says
IKEA ME!!!!!!!!!
Lauren says
Ikea me!
I would love volunteering in a NICU. I’ve had many friends who’ve had their babies in NICUs, and I know how important the nurses and volunteers are to those families.
Britt says
IKEA ME!
Wow, I am not entirely sure how I’d spend the year. Probably here in NYC – there is so much that needs to be done. This is a fantastic opportunity!
Bethany says
IKEA Me
I would love to help start up an after school music program for special needs children.
daniel matoba says
IKEA ME!!!!
I’d spend the year with the federation of fly fishers volunteering to help sustain nature’s course from being interrupted by man made damns, jetty’s, etc. or I’d volunteer for the USFS to put my time into preservation of our national parks.
ashley a. says
IKEA ME!
i’d work to improve the nutrition in our schools.
Dave Smith says
IKEA ME!
I would enjoy helping Angola, Africa build homes for the homeless.
RACHAEL C H says
IKEA MEEEE!!
I think i’d spend a year doing habitat for humanity. Ive done it in the past and it doesn’t feel like work at all. And ive learned a few handy things along the way :)
Brianna says
IKEA ME!
I would study teaching ESL… I volunteer teaching ESL to adults once a week, and while I’ve gone to a few workshops and learned on the job (so to speak), I’d love to really study how it’s done and work at doing it better. So after a year, when I came back to volunteering once a week (or maybe more), I’d be able to give more to my students than I currently am.
Becky says
IKEA ME! I would love to spend a year volunteering in Madagascar, Africa with the organization I’m involved with: the Madagascar Ankizy Fund. I would work with the children there!
Erin says
IKEA ME!
I’d love to spend a year working with underpriveleged single moms and their babies.
Venus Sanders says
IKEA ME!
I would volunteer with Habitat for Humanity.
Ashlee says
IKEA Me!! I would like to put together care packages for the homeless to donate to the local shelter.
Liz says
IKEA ME!
I think I would do anything that helps children.
Maria says
Ikea Me!
Amy says
IKEA ME!
I’m a big fan of the local food bank and would love to be a part of more fresh foods getting to everyone.
Jamie says
IKEA ME!!
I know exactly what I’d do- I teach high school students and I’ve noticed that the students who have less-involved parents, or parents who just aren’t aware, flounder around a lot after high school not sure what to do because they just don’t know about their options for college. I would like to set up a program for these students to help them beyond their high school guidance counselors to get them on the right track. So many of my former students come back and say they wished they had started school right after high school, so hopefully this would be something that benefits many students!
Faith Childress says
IKEA ME!!
Serena says
IKEA me!
I’d extend my occasional Saturdays into a full-time position with Habitat for Humanity.
Lindsey d. says
IKEA ME!
I’d spend a year and $100,000 volunteering in public schools in my hometown.
Dulce says
IKEA Me!!!
I would love to promote higher education… either by tutoring, workshops, etc!
Mike says
IKEA Me!
Sara N. says
IKEA Me!!!
I would take the year to work in local elementary schools. I want to find ways to bring parents back into their child’s education as well as bring excitement, creativity, and fun rather than JUST teaching the SOLs. GO EDUCATION!!!
Sarah S. says
IKEA ME! (please and thank you)
For my year of philanthropy, I would like to work with a food bank and/or a homeless transition center – helping people transition from being homeless to getting back on their feet. Everyone deserves a beautiful home, and I’d like to help any way I could.
Ann says
“Ikea me”…please….
If I had one year to help ..I would see myself helping the school’s here in the D.C. area…we really need so much help right here right now.
Emily Hernandez says
IKEA ME!
I would help my friend Angie start a women’s center in the redlight district of mexico city to help give prostitutes a life outside of the sex industry.
Ashlee says
Ikea Me!!!
Jessica says
IKEA ME! I’d spend a year starting an education center for new parents. Kentucky has some of the highest rates of children’s deaths, and a lot of mis-information, especially in the more rural areas. I’d love to try and get the free education out there so parents have a support system of educated individuals helping them make great choices as well as maybe getting support for drug habits and how to kick them to make their lives (and their child’s) better. (Ky also has A TON of drug abuse problems in rural areas, especially pill and meth abuse, which actually contributes a lot to the death rate of children.)
Nicole L says
IKEA ME! I would help underprivileged children express themselves through art.
Suzy says
IKEA ME!!!!!!!
Lisa says
IKEA ME!
I would volunteer with my church by participating in the numerous outreaches and great things that they do throughout our community!
Carolyn M says
IKEA me!
I would spend a year volunteering for a philanthropic organization like the Gates Foundation that focuses on global health issues like children’s health and vaccinations.
Kendra says
IKEA me!
I would love to spend a year traveling and helping people in third world countries.
Brittany Johnson says
IKEA ME!!!!
I would love to raise another guiding eye dog for the blind. I raised 4 when I was in high school and would love to do it again. Although it is super sad when you have to give them back to guiding eyes!
Amy Weatherly says
IKEA ME!
I would love to spend more time working with under-priveledged children.
Kelly says
IKEA ME!
We are getting married this Saturday and I can think of oh so many things I could put this gift card to use for (like a bed frame)!
As far as your Bonus question goes if I had a year, I’d put together a literacy outreach program for my surrounding communities: pull together different schools of thought on teaching how to read, contact local schools and day cares about their concerns, and give away free books to kids and adults of any age range!
katiemax says
IKEA ME!!!!
I would spend a year helping my sister’s new non-profit foundation “EdPowerment” which works to enable education in disadvantaged communities. Their first project was/is located in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania where they’ve improved the local roadside school, funded secondary education for some students, and built a well for both the school and local community. I can’t wait to see what they’ll do next!
http://www.edpowerment.org
Savannah Stepp says
Ikea me!
I would spend a year in the red light districts of the world helping the women who live and work there to find alternative means of survival and livelihood for themselves and their families.
miriam says
IKEA ME!
I would love to spend a year doing something to help bolster instrumental music programs in my local public schools.
Shaye C. says
IKEA ME!
Habitat for Humanity!
Monica says
IKEA ME!!!
I would spend a year traveling around the country organizing block parties – simple crafts, easy family recipes, and reviving the idea that neighborhoods should be communities that grow and play together.
Alicia Spencer says
Ikea me! We just signed a lease agreement on a house this morning. I could totally use some spending money to make our new rental feel like home!
I would work on improving nutrition in our schools. I think it’s crazy that french fries are considered a vegetable!
Amy says
IKEA me!
I would spend a year volunteering for organizations that help end sex trafficking.
Elizabeth Abercrombie says
IKEA Me! I would love to spend a year helping children in less affluent areas get the educational resources they deserve!
Elizabeth Hagin says
IKEA ME!!!
I’m not sure what organization I would like to work with but I would like the focus to be with children.
Megan says
IKEA ME!!
I’d love to work on environmental issues – save the planet!
Mustard says
IKEA ME!
I would love to spend a year in developing countries teaching and learning sustainable agriculture.
Megan S says
IKEA ME!!! If I had one year to volunteer I would do random acts of kindness for individuals, schools, families and blog about the entire years experience. I would LOVE to do that.
Kim Bartczak says
IKEA ME!!!
I would love to spend a year helping animals. Ever since we rescued our dog Fritz, I have a spot in my heart for all little puppies.