***This giveaway is no longer accepting entries – see who won below!***
Random.org has selected the two random folks who are about to get $100 to IKEA. And they are… Jennifer (who improves lives by teaching and will also be adopting a child from Ethiopia) and Ashley (who says needs some improvement for herself). Congrats!
If you take one thing away from this post, it should be this: two people are winning $100 gift cards to IKEA this week. Woot! But if you have room for a second thing, know that it’s because Ikea is hosting their second annual Life Improvement Project that, among other things (like hilariously helpful “instructions” for living a better life) includes another $100,000 Life Improvement Sabbatical Contest. So if you’ve got a great idea about how to help others, IKEA will give you one year and one hundred grand to make it happen. Last year’s winner (whose video can be seen here) was actually from right here in Virginia. Double woot!
- PRIZE: An $100 gift card to IKEA, courtesy of the IKEA Life Improvement Project
- TO ENTER: Comment on this post with the words “IMPROVE ME!” and tell us…
- BONUS QUESTION: …how you’d like to improve the lives of others. Do you have a special skill or talent that you could leverage? Or is there a specific cause or area of need that you’d like to dedicate yourself too?
- GIVEAWAY CLOSES: Wednesday, October 12 at 8pm EST (or at 10,000 entries)
- NUMBER OF WINNERS: Two
- PRIZE SHIPS: The continental 48 United States (although we do try to wrangle as many international giveaways as possible)
- USUAL STUFF: One entry per e-mail address is permitted. The winners will be selected using random.org and announced on Thursday as an update to this post. That’s right, come right back here on Thursday for the announcement of our winner. Good luck…
Note: We weren’t paid or perked for hosting this giveaway, we just do ‘em to thank you awesome folks for stopping in. See our Giveaway FAQ page for more info. Pics courtesy of IKEA Life Improvement Project
Ruth says
IMPROVE ME!!
Taylor says
IMPROVE ME!
Carolyn says
IMPROVE ME! It’s time to go back to school to better continue working full time with nonprofits and college students!
Kate says
Improve me! I work with kiddos and it feels good to give back that way.
Erin J. says
IMPROVE ME!
I would love to be able to use my photography to give back, whether that be for families who are suffering from illness, or families who can’t afford to have family portraits taken every year.
Leslie says
IMPROVE ME! I want to share the love of Jesus with those around me. Can I get an ‘Amen’ anyone?! ;)
Elizabeth says
IMPROVE ME!! I love programs like Kiva where you can micro lend. I want to lend to women that are trying to start businesses.
Shreya says
IMPROVE ME.
I’d love to work with traditional forms of art and artisans, give them access to the global market, cut out the middle men and ensure that the principles of fair trade are not denied to them.
p.s. What a great giveaway!
Rachel Poulson says
IMPROVE ME
Amelia Walton says
IMPROVE ME! My husband and I have always said that if we magically strike it rich we would put our efforts towards providing shelter, child care, and job training for single mothers. This has become even more relevant in the downward spinning economy, the statistics about how many people are in shelters with children due to job loss, being underwater with a mortgage etc is frightening. That’s a population that we hope to be able to serve one day.
Liz says
Improve me!!
I am already a special education teacher, but I would like to dedicate (more of!) my time and life to helping people with autism
Christina says
IMPROVE ME!
We are getting a puppy in December and I am planning on working with the dog toward a good canine citizen certificate and other qualifications to become involved in local therapy dog programs at nearby hospitals and hospice homes. Helping ease the pain and suffering of a person with the joy of a friendly dog is really something I’d like to dedicate myself to!
Jessica Miller says
IMPROVE ME!
Megan Sullivan says
Improve me! I currently volunteer my time to coach an inner city youth soccer team. It’s fantastic because I get to meet all these great and inspiring kids!
Sarah says
Improve me!
I volunteer with high school students and each year we travel to Mexico and build houses alongside families who need them. It is an awesome experience and I’d like to continue to work with teenagers and to connect with/work alongside people in third world countries. I also think I could do way better at little things like just saying hi to people I don’t really know (thanks, Ikea!) or smiling at strangers I pass on the street. I can be a real automaton sometimes. Human interactions are worth the disruption of whatever it is I’m doing that seems so important at the moment. :)
Megan B. says
IMPROVE ME! I would love to focus on education of the whole person. While book knowledge is so important, it is equally important for children and teens to learn how to handle the emotional and difficult aspects of life…and in the process you teach them a little about giving back too!
Carrie says
IMPROVE ME! I’d love to help out more with needy children, military families, and animal shelters.
Mim says
IMPROVE ME!
Since having kids, i realize so much more the importance of a loving stable nurturing environment for the littlest babies and kids, and I’d love to someday take in foster kids when my own are grown, to hopefully make a small difference in an unfairly-difficult life.
Meg B. says
IMPROVE ME!
Rachel says
IMPROVE ME!
I’d love to host sing-a-longs with the kiddos in my new neighborhood. :)
Barbara says
Improve me! I am big on working in a soup kitchen.
Eileen says
IMPROVE ME! I would love to be able to help foster abused animals.
Stephanie says
Improve me!
I know I help out in small ways everyday, but IT hink the biggest things I’m doing to help the world is raise my awesome kids to be awesome adults.
Julie R says
IMPROVE ME!
Sarah says
Improve me! To me, reading is one of the most important skills one needs to have. Not only for the enjoyment of reading a really good book, but in order to survive and thrive in society. So I would do something to promote literacy.
Summer says
IMPROVE ME! I would like to do something with abused or neglected animals.
Laine says
IMPROVE ME!
Helping kids is probably my priority, you know, cause they’re the future and all that.
MISSY says
IMPROVE ME!
Martha says
Improve me… I would help people see the happy things in life through photos, art, a nice smile and kind word. Back to basics is my new motto in life.
debbie c says
IMPROVE ME!
One day, when the baby is a little older, I’d like to get back to helping people improve their living spaces. I used to volunteer with Habitat but it’s been a while.
Autumn says
IMPROVE ME!
I work in parochial education, helping educators become better teachers. I wish I had more time to actually spend with teachers. Many of our educators are paid only for in class hours, no prep time, no professional development, no grading. I would love to be able to help pay them for the time they spend outside of the room learning- spend the money on programs and compensation for attending and mentoring.
Laura says
Improve Me!
I am a teacher, and I think it is important to make students feel skilled and accomplished every day. I hope to use my classroom as a tool to make students interact confidently with their world.
Eva says
Improve me!
Katie says
Improve me!
My dream is to work with girls to build up confidence and self-esteem so they can accomplish awesome things as adults!
Mandy says
IMPROVE ME!
I log long hours as an ICU nurse – enough said!
Leah says
IMPROVE ME! I like to volunteer at the Boys & Girls Club
Wehaf says
IMPROVE ME! I love to tutor; it would be a blast to start a free tutoring program for underprivileged kids.
Monica says
IMPROVE ME! I would love to work with an organization like Habitat for Humanity to help stage homes that are built for people who really need them. :)
Krista says
IMPROVE ME!
Melissa says
IMPROVE ME!
I could use the money to buy supplies for the school for special needs children that I work for.
Courtney says
Improve me! My heart is really broken for abused/neglected children.
Tanya K says
IMPROVE ME!! (pretty please!)
Holly says
IMPROVE ME! I would love to bring trained/paid volunteers into K-3rd grade classroooms to help with literacy instruction and lower class size.
Kerry says
IMPROVE ME!
I strive to teach the younger generation the values my parents taught me. Ie. Respect for the elderly. I strive to make the elderly feel they are special still. I strive to smile at strangers daily to make them feel special. I strive to learn something new everyday and teach someone else something new everyday.
Allison says
IMPROVE ME!
mELINDA says
IMPROVE ME, please!
I would love to help other mothers successfully nurse their babies – it’s such an important start to life.
Claire says
IMPROVE ME!
I would help non-profits get there finances in order and formulate business plans.
Patty Reid says
Please “Improve Me”…I teach Culinary Arts in a highschool career center. We always need supplies. Our school and our class is raising $ for Relay for Life. Our community stopped this event about 6 years ago and our kids are passoinate about starting this. You have to love kids that give back to the others in need :)
Patrice says
IMPROVE ME!
Jill says
Improve me!
I recently read an article about a 22 yr old woman from TN who moved to Uganda, adopted 13 orphans and is in the process of building a school (plus many other amazing things she’s done). I went home and told my family I wish we were doing more. We can’t pack up and move to Africa, but I’m in the process of seeing how we can live a bit more sacrificially and give to our community. RVA already has many great programs in place, I think its just deciding where we should serve.