*** 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.
Sarah Fleegel says
IKEA Me! I am a lawyer and would spend the year working on legal issues for victims of domestic violence.
Elizabeth says
IKEA Me!
I would help my sister start the 501c3 that she has been working on for the last half a year. It is a combination of an arts education and music education outreach program in a local hospital. She currently volunteers her time- I would like to help her make this wish come true to establish a non-profit that would bring arts education to those in need. accessing art and helping others do so is very important to both of us.
KatieV says
IKEA Me!
I’d probably open an alternative treatment center or parent-education center for autism.
Lelia says
IKEA me! I would spend a year volunteering with Children’s Network, helping children learn to write and use the arts as an outlet for their creativity. I would definitely write a book about the experience!
Nina says
Ikea me! I would like to work with kids in Head Start type program.
Michael Figueroa says
IKEA Me!
My wife and I currently rescue and rehabilitate animals in our own home, and with a year off, we could make faster progress sooner which would allow for more animals in need to come through us and be adopted.
Leigh-Ann says
IKEA ME!!!!!
I would love to do something in schools, particularly helping children learn to read and fostering literacy!!
Amy says
IKEA Me! I would help people apply for health benefits such as Medicaid.
Rachael says
IKEA ME!
I’d love to start some group that really encourages parents to read to their kids every day.
Elena says
ikea me! i would spend time with less fortunate children and single mothers in need.
Maggie O. says
Ikea me a gift card, please! I need-a me some bookshelves. But enough about me, if I could spend a year giving back, I would want to help struggling families get back on their feet, whether through supporting job training programs or helping them improve their quality of life at home (despite going through so much stress financially), for example organizing, eating healthier and setting aside time for family. Truth is…we could all use some of that…it’s just that in this economy, so many people don’t have the luxury of thinking about improving their own qualities of life, they are just trying to keep their heads above water. You know, all this talk makes me feel guilty about wanting the gift card for bookshelves…
Allison says
IKEA ME!
I would volunteer to design and build homes for those less fortunate than me.
Brian says
IKEA ME!
I would work within the church.
Sarah in FL says
Ikea Me!!
i would like to work with habitat for humanity
traci says
IKEA ME :-)please
I would continue doing what I’m doing. Teaching health to middle schoolers .
Danna Miller says
IKEA Me!
Laura says
IKEA ME!
I’d work to organize sports leagues for developmentally disabled kids.
Julie @SavvyEats says
IKEA ME!
I’d spend the year advocating for the slow food movement and teaching people about eating locally and seasonally
Lucia says
IKEA Me!
If I had a year off I would love to do work for habitat for humanity or something on sustainable farming of some kind.
Alicia says
IKEA ME!!!!
I would probably help children in some way since they are so innocent.
Linda Williamson says
IKEA ME!!!
I have always been passionate about helping people get a “fresh start”. I would start a non-profit focused on getting people back on their feet…Vocational training, GED Prep work, providing suits for interviews, etc. Giving people a hand up, not a hand out :o)
Alison says
IKEA Me!
Elana says
IKEA ME!!! Adopt battery hens.
Dani Morgan says
IKEA ME! If I could have a year to spend time volunteering I would take a year off from my pediatric residency to provide free health care to children in need.
Laura says
IKEA me! I would put the money towards making an sensory room for my students
Rebecca Porter says
IKEA ME! I would love to win this gift certificate. If I could volunteer for a year I would spend my time with a hearing impaired children’s organization. This is a special diagonsis that is very close to my heart. My son was diagnosised at birth with a hearing impairment and has overcome so many obstacles. Currently he has a clean bill of health, but this is something that has inspired me.
Lisa C. says
Ikea me!
Lauren says
IKEA me!
I love your blog and I love IKEA! This would be amazing!
If I could spend a whole year helping people, I would want to do a free or low income child care program helping single moms, teen moms,struggling families, etc.
tracey says
IKEA me
Would love to spend a whole year with Habitat for Humanity helping to build houses for families in need
Chakra says
IKEA Me!
I have 2 dogs in training to become therapy dogs and I would love a year off to travel my state and show what these two pups can do! :)
Noreen says
IKEA ME! If I could have a year to help, I’d spend it in Nicaragua doing work for the non-profit ICARE. My friends started it in law school and I’ve helped them raise money for the last 5 years. Now I’d like to get down there and REALLY help!
Jennifer L says
Ikea me!!!
I actually already volunteer full time with people, but if I were to volunteer something different, I would help out our animal friends at a no-kill animal rescue and foster feral/injured strayed and abandoned creatures.
Jenn says
Pick me please!!!
Deena says
Ikea me!
I would volunteer my time at public schools helping overworked teachers and mentoring children in need. I would also like to lend my time to equestrian programs for disabled children.
emily says
IKEA me!
I would teach writing in a disadvantaged school district. It’s so important to find your own voice–but teaching is not a lucrative profession in this country!
Areta says
IKEA Me!
I would help teach homeless women how to create resumes, cover letters, search for jobs, work on their interview skills and help them find jobs to support themselves and their families!
Tessa says
IKEA ME!
Wow, it’s so hard to choose. I might tutor kids who have a hard time learning how to read because it’s something I have experience doing.
Brecca Johnson says
Ikea Me! Wow awesome giveaway! I would love to volunteer to help mothers who cannot afford childcare.
patti says
IKEA ME!!!
I would love to work with kids in need and/or my local women’s shelter. I used to do a lot of this before I had kids and really need to get back into it anyway!
Jennifer Johnson says
IKEA Me!
If I had a year off I’d use the money to continue to help our church grow and continue to help our community and those in need within it.
Cissy H. says
IKEA me!
Please!? If I had a year to help, I would volunteer at an orphanage as the official cuddler. I love children, and everyone deserves to be loved on and cuddled with. In many orphanages, there just aren’t enough workers or time in the day to give all the children the attention they need.
Amy says
IKEA ME!
I would pilot a moving service to help those who cannot afford all of the expenses that are involved.
Amy O. says
IKEA Me!
If i had one year I would work with the homeless shelter and senior citizens in my community.
Li Z says
IKEA ME!
Wow. With a year off, I like to tackle kids’ nutrition issue, esp. about eating healthy food.
Sophie says
IKEA ME!
I’d love to spend a year working with rescue dogs!
Kiera says
IKEA ME!
I would donate my time and (limited) talents to help rebuild communities all over the world that have suffered natural disaster. A few weeks in Haiti, a month or two in Chili and Thailand, the Gulf Coast, Iowa, Honduras…
Leigh Wheeler says
IKEA ME!
So many things I would love to do. Probably work in a school in a 3rd world country.
Sophia says
IKEA Me!
I would probably devote my time to working in a local shelter with survivors of domestic violence.
Nicole says
IKEA ME! I am a high school teacher in a community where students are getting shot almost daily at the hands of other teens. I would spend a year combatting their resignation to the violence in their community by educating teens in conflict resolution. I want to empower teens to stop this teen-on-teen violence!
Ashley Gallmoyer says
Ikea Me!
I would spend that year volunteering at our local animal shelters.