*** 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.
Amanda says
Ikea me! I would love to provide medical care somewhere that doesn’t have any medical providers.
Carrley W says
IKEA ME
Emilia Torrez says
IKEA ME!!! I would spend a year counseling the teens in my neighborhood. Many of them come from broken homes, as do my teens and don’t know how to deal with it and as a result can’t cope with life, I would help them get back on their feet by offering them tutoring, couseling, help them find jobs, what ever they needed.
Emily says
IKEA me this! He he… If I had a year to go on “sabbatical” I would definitely work with animal rescue. We have four rescue animals and have been foster parents for animals in the past. It’s a passion of mine that has fallen a bit by the wayside ever since becoming a mother. But, I’m sure I could pick it right back up if given the chance. :) Also, I >3 IKEA! :)
Daniel says
IKEA ME!
Volunteer at homeless shelters
Meghan says
IKEA me!!!
Caroline says
Ikea Me!
With one year I think I would work with Women’s Shelters doing Interior Design for their spaces (as I am a designer). So many of these places are just as stodgy and blank as hospitals – they should be comforting and inspiring. Offering women and children a place that makes them feel welcome and safe can be somewhat accomplished with staffing, but the environment is a MUCH larger factor.
Amy says
IKEA Me!
I would love to help with Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. My nephew has CF and would help the foundation on a local level to raise money to find a cure.
sfriend says
IKEA ME!!!!
Kelly says
IKEA ME!
I’d spend a year working with students, maybe some type of mentorship program.
Tanya says
IKEA me!!!!
Grace says
IKEA me! I would take a year off to work in sustainable agriculture or something to do with helping people live healthier lives, regardless of income levels.
elissa says
IKEA ME!
I’d love to spend a year with Habitat for Humanity building houses.
Ashley B. says
ikea me
Kris says
IKEA ME!
A year working with Habitat for Humanity would be ideal for me.
becp says
IKEA ME!
amyhardin says
IKEA ME! I would help with children’s literacy!
Steph Mineart says
IKEA Me!
I would:
1) Volunteer at one of the independent local animal shelter, especially taking photos of the pets for their website.
2) Read newspapers and magazines aloud in the local nursing home to folks with macular degeneration.
Nicole says
IKEA ME, pretty please!
I would spend the year volunteering for the National Bone Marrow Program. I have a very personal connection to marrow donation, so I’m eager to help more people get on the national list. Its a cause that is very near and dear to my heart.
kandice says
Ikea Me!
I would spend my year in Haiti trying to rebuild homes, or I would volunteer at a homeless shelter.
Erica @ Erica's Inspirations says
IKEA ME!!
I would spend one year in Nicaragua…specifically focusing on the Dump in Chinandega. My husband I recently went on a mission trip there and LOVED the people and saw SO much need…we could not wait to go back! You can read about our trip here:
http://ericaharless.blogspot.com/search/label/Nicaragua
Angela Poutt says
IKEA ME!! I would love to volunteer at our local retirement home. I love the company of elderly people, they have wonderful stories to tell and wisdom to share.
Amy says
IKEA ME!
I would like to spend a year teaching english in Russia.
Erin says
IKEA ME! I’d try to build low cost solutions (like d.light design: http://www.dlightdesign.com/) to social problems.
Kelly says
Ohhh I would love some new shelving for my living room!
I am an audiologist and would love to help hearing impaired children get fit with hearing aids who aren’t otherwise able to do so
Kian says
IKEA me!!!!!! I would love to spend a year working in an orphanage overseas!
Katie King says
IKEA me!!!
I would like to help people with energy efficiency in their homes and lives in general. I think with education on environmental issues, we could do a lot more than is being done today!
Julianne says
IKEA ME!
I spend more time at our local animal shelter – work always seems to get in the way of the time I would like to spend there now!
Sarah says
IKEA Me
I would work to rescue women from the sexual slavery around the world
Hally says
IKEA ME….i’d like to do a medical mission in another country!
Suzanne says
IKEA ME!
I have cystic fibrosis, so I’d use the cash to help raise awareness/funding for research for cure!
Kendra says
IKEA Me!
My great aunt lives in an assisted living community and I know a lot of the residents don’t have family so they don’t get visitors. I would volunteer to spend time with people like this reading, painting or just chatting!
maryplu says
IKEA ME!!!!
Also, I would take the year to volunteer with UNICEF and work with children in Sudan and other war torn countries where child soldiers are common.
Virginia says
IKEA ME!
If I had a year off to help others, I would love to teach writing in a women’s prison.
Melanie says
IKEA ME!
I would spend a year getting anti-bullying programs up and running across the schools in my district.
Jolen Hollingsworth says
Ikea me!
So many things you could do with a year! I would help female teenagers in some capacity. Self esteem issues, learning a skill to improve self esteem. Help homeless youth. So many possibilities!
Aja says
IKEA ME!
I would hold babies in the NICU.. or go to various cities and help build home for Habitat for Humanity!
vegas says
IKEA ME!!!
I think I would do some overseas medical outreach, maybe the camps in Haiti.
Stephanie says
IKEA ME!
Ever since I lost my brother to suicide, I’ve wanted to teach high school students across the country about depression and suicide. If I had the money and time to do it, I would.
Niki says
IKEA Me!and…
If I could spend one year helping others it would involve advising people financially. I have a degree in finance (focus on financial planning) but just do not like the “sales” aspect of actually being a financial planner. Give me a low to middle income person and let me at their bank statement! I would try to help them learn where to save, what to buy and not buy as well as how they can go about building an emergency fund. Not nearly as many people have a fully-funded emergency fund as they should but I would love to try to help them create one!
Vijaya says
Ikea Me!
I would spend an year setting up a business which would provide employment and support to abused women and children
Sarah says
IKEA Me!!!
I’d love to return to Guatemala for a year and help the mothers and children get a better education to improve their lives
Kati says
IKEA ME PUH-LEASE!
I would LOVE to spend a year making birthday cakes for kids who can’t afford to have a birthday cake of their own. I am learning to make cakes, and everyone deserves to have some special sweetness on their birthday!
Ashley says
IKEA ME! I would love to work with the Ronald McDonald House or a Children’s hospital.
Stephanie Kaurin says
IKEA Me!
mep says
IKEA ME!
cate s. h. says
Ikea me! I’d love to build houses for a year.
Tara Venable says
IKEA ME!
Oh, what wouldn’t I do?! I am currently in medical school to become a doctor, so I would do some mission work (both locally and overseas) that combines medical care and sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ! I would also gather as many orphaned, abused, or neglected children as I can and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them like crazy!
Rebecca says
IKEA ME! I fight everyday for orphans and children without parents. I would use the $ to make an even larger impact than I already do.
patrick says
IKEA ME!
Because I come from a long line of volunteer firemen, I would donate my time to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation!