*** 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.
Michelle says
Ikea me….
I would work with disabled children. Since I started raising my husband’s special needs twin boys I developed a major soft spot in my heart for special needs children !
Becky says
IKEA ME!!
I would spend the year doing things with animals!
Beverly says
IKEA me!
This is a tough one – but one area I have always been interested in and involved in is tutoring/mentoring at-risk youth. I feel really strongly about education and would love to get develop a program at junior high/middle school level.
Julie N says
I wish your contests were open to Canadian residents too. It seems like there has been a good run of only US contests. : (
– Julie
Katie says
Ikea me!!
I would work to develop after-school programs that give kids the chance to create!! Arts, music, etc — too many of these programs have been cut from schools and having the opportunity to excel and be creative does wonders for a child’s confidence.
Carrie M. says
IKEA ME!
I would spend the year in Africa working with the orphans, either teaching in one of their schools or helping to set up some.
Tracey R. says
IKEA ME!!! (I have my eye on a new Ikea bookshelf, so this would be awesome!!)
Hard question – there are so many things I would love to contribute to. I would spend time volunteering at more organizations. I guess the places I have the softest spots for in my heart are the Ronald McDonald House, which helped my brother and his family many years ago, the Locks of Love foundation (which I am furiously growing my hair out for right now to contribute to! Just a few more inches to go!) and the Miracle League Foundation here in S.A. I try to help where I can, but a year would allow me much more time and space to help. :-)
Melissa J. says
IKEA ME!!
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?
It’s hard to pick one thing that I would do for a year helping others. Things I could and would do be able to do is visit elderly in nursing homes or tutor “at risk” children. I have done both in the past and it is so rewarding.
If I had a larger budget I think it would be amazing to travel to third world countries and help them get clean water sources. It is something that we really take for granted here and it would help so many people live healthier lives by just having a safe water source like a well. It could also save them time to do other things when before they would spend a lot of time traveling to a water source.
Sugar Cookie says
Ikea Me! I’d like to help children who have grown up in homes around drugs and alcohol.
Tiffini S. says
IKEA ME!
I really wanted to write “Ikea Me-a” but I did not.
I would spend an entire year (if funding were unlimited) working in one economically depressed neighborhood to improve the homes. Just go right down the street making home improvements inside and out, then give the residents a game plan on how to maintain that residence and create other positive changes in their own lives.
Coming from a poor background myself, I cannot stress the importance of having one, profound mentoring situation to break the cycle of poverty. Many of the small things people do to help the poor are lost because poverty is a very grinding situation and it does take one extraordinary act to give hope. Not saying you’re not grateful for all the little things when you’re poor, but one big thing in one life or family would definitely make more of a difference than a hundred little things for a hundred different people.
A pinch of salt could make all the difference in a pot of water, but would be lost in even a small pond.
Lori says
Ikea Me!
City Chic - Jamie says
IKEA Me!
There are so many wonderful volunteer opportunities, I would pick something that involves animal rescue!
RebeccaC says
Ikea Me!!
I would have sports programs for kids.
Nadia says
“IKEA ME!”
I would love to spend the time helping babies and children. They are pure and innocent and I would love to help with everything from healthy eating to education.
Courtney says
IKEA me!
I’d open a studio where I could teach art and design classes to kids and adults.
Tammy says
IKEA ME!
If I could take a year I would spend it teaching other moms/dads how to save money through the use of coupons in the grocery store. The financial impact to a family can greatly improve their quality of life.
Lani says
“IKEA ME!”
I’ve lately grown totally inspired by the show “School Pride.” With the downturn in the economy, many schools have been forced to cut programs and extra curricular activities, and those were the things that I remeber the most about my school days. I’d love to help the schools in my area with fixing up the campuses, and also providing activities for the kids.
Chrissy Ruehl says
IKEA me!
I would spend a year helping communities regain their identity through establishing community gardens and communities art projects.
Laura D says
IKEA ME!!
I would cook meals for single moms, those with health issues and anyone who could use a nutritious home cooked meal.
Jane says
IKEA ME! If I had a year to do good, I’d volunteer on college campuses providing a friendly ear to young people who don’t have anyone to turn to. I’d hook up with a mental health organization and support them in any way I could.
Amanda Smith says
IKEA Me!!!
I really want to volunteer at the hospital. Ulitmately I would work in the children’s ward because I just have a passion for children, but anywhere that I could help would be great!
Nadine says
IKEA Me!
I would spend the time and money helping animals who cannot help themselves! Not only taking care of the animals to make them adoptable but starting a campaign to adopt rather than buy puppies!
Loran says
IKEA me!
I would spend the year donating my time and resources to charities supported by my church and trying to get as connected to my community as possible.
Migdalia says
IKEA ME!
I would spend my year helping out my local community.
Alicia says
IKEA ME!!
I would definitely do something helping animals!
Laura says
IKEA ME!!
With a ton of money to help others, I would want to use it to access support for counseling for those that find it difficult to afford copays or the cost of it, but could really use the extra support counseling can offer: single mothers, families raising kids with special needs and military families.
Kristen says
IKEA me!
I would set up a grant program to help families afford the cost of international adoption.
Sarah says
IKEA me! If I could spend a year helping others, I would love to teach illiterate adults to read. That would be such an amazing experience!
Ashley Meadows says
IKEA me!!!
I would tutor kids who are less fortunate.
Jennifer says
IKEA Me! :)
I would join the Peace Corps for sure. Travel the world AND help people? That sounds so awesome.
Jill says
IKEA ME
I would work with children
kyla says
IKEA Me.
Would do something in fine arts with children. Art programs being cut, cut my heart.
Lane says
IKEA ME!
I would love to move to Africa for a year or a few doing mission work and building a life for all those people with nothing!
Nissa Otero says
IKEA Me!
I would be doing something where I work with children or families.
Katie says
IKEA me!!!!!
I think I would babysit my friends kids once a night free for a year. They are amazing ladies and we all need some time alone, to reconnect with the spouse, or even with each other to stay sane!
Jessica says
IKEA ME!
I would spend my time helping babies and children in some respect- foster programs, orphanges.. anything to help those who aren’t capable of helping themselves.
Barbara says
IKEA ME! :)
I would spend my year traveling to rescue animals from high-kill shelters and bringing them to places where thay can find forever homes.
Michelle Perry says
IKEA ME!!!!!
Casey says
Ikea Me!
Melissa G. says
IKEA Me!
hmmm 100,000 is a lot, half of it would go to Habitat for Humanity. The other half I would live off of so I could volunteer at builds for Habitat for Humanity.
I kind of like Habitat for Humanity if you couldn’t tell.
Beth @ the Modern Home says
IKEA ME!
There are so many children in developing countries (like Haiti) who are denied an education because there is no public schooling option and there is no way they can afford tuition. I’d organize charities to raise awareness and tuition money.
Kate Ediger says
Ikea me! I’d spend the year volunteering at the Victory Jucntion Camp. A camp for kids with life threatening illnesses that cannot attend regular camps or working for the USO.
Carol says
IKEA ME!
I’d love to work with something like Heifer, Int’l and bring economic sustainability to people around the world.
Hilary says
IKEA Me!
I would spend a year helping the elderly and disabled with home maintenance projects they are unable to accomplish by themselves or pay to have done.
Kelly says
IKEA me!
I am a bleeding heart so I would either work with homeless animals, or youth at risk. (Or maybe both!?)
Kim says
IKEA me!
100,000 and a year? Help the needy in my own backyard. So amny epople think we need to go across the ocean and there are so amny hurting right around the corner.
Tad Davis says
IKEA ME!
I would volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, because I love renovation work.
Eliza says
IKEA me!!
I would build a health center that provides holistic health services (including humanized pregnancy and birth) and self-defense programs for women.
Eric says
IKEA me please. I would work for habitat for humanity and build houses.
sarah says
Ikea me!!!! (please!)
I think it would be fabulous to start community gardens in cities and teach people to grow healthy, organic food, save money, and get their hands dirty doing it!