*** 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…
******************************
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.
Carolyn says
Ikea me!
I have been trying to find a way to go to India to volunteer at an orphanage there. Getting the money to go there and also to cover living expenses and my life back home while I’m away is a challenge, but I’m going to make it happen somehow.
Gloria says
IKEA Me!
I would bring school supplies for the children in the different islands in the Caribbean. Im going to Jamaica in January to bring a few things to a school house near Ocho Rios.
Kelley Gerace says
IKEA Me!
I would love to volunteer and improve battered women and children shelters as well as homeless shelters.
J says
IKEA ME!!!!!!!!
Paulette says
IKEA ME!
I love cats! So I’d open an animal rescue shelter just for cats.
Lisa says
IKEA ME!! I’d spend a year in China with my parents who work there.
Kim H. says
IKEA Me!
If I could spend a year helping others… honestly I don’t know what I would do. I know what my heart would want me to do and that would be to go on a mission trip; however, what I would want and where God would want me to be called may not always be the same. So in short, I would pray fervently and go where the Lord needs.
jill a says
IKEA ME!
I would work in education in low income neighborhoods.
Dana H says
Ikea me!
I’d definitely want to work toward helping low income schools and children with mentoring programs and funding for the schools.
Liz says
IKEA ME!
I would spend time helping those with Huntington’s Disease, a rare and fatal neuromuscular disease, which affects only 30,000 people in the U.S.
Alisa D. says
IKEA Me!
If I could spend a year helping people it would be something with cheering up/helping sick kids and their family.
Jessica says
IKEA Me!
Wow, there are so many great things you could do with $100,000 and a year off. I would probably volunteer my time with my favorite charity, charity: water. I just love what they do.
ColeyB says
IKEA ME!
I would work in a school for AIDS orphans in Kenya.
Truly says
Ikea Me!!!
Best giveaway ever!
Amy says
Ikea me!
I would love to move to South Africa (where my husband is from) and help out with/start orphanages.
AmandaT says
IKEA ME!
I would work for Habitat for Humanity for a year all over, wherever they needed help (esp New Orleans.. still!) to help people have homes they can be proud of. Having a safe space that is yours that you take care of is the center of pride and self esteem. The added carpentry skills and exercise would do me some good too!
Brittany Basham says
IKEA Me!
I like the idea of starting an after school program.
danielle says
IKEA ME!!! PLEASE!
I would spend the time founding an organization to develop urban community centers focused mostly on children, but also the community residents in general.
JaNelle says
IKEA ME!!!
I would love to help build houses in under privileged areas. Also I love animals so volunteering at a rescue would be so fulfilling.
Angie says
IKEA me!
I’m a partially disabled veteran (only 20%) with a bum knee. It doesn’t affect my day to day life as much as most veterans. I would love to take a year to help veterans recovering from injuries. Not only the time with them in hospitals and rehab reading, talking, etc, but with their family. As a family member (Dad was a Navy Seal) I saw how often we were overlooked when a crisis happened. Everyone helped out the service member, but the family kinda got left by the curb. Something as simple as taking food to the family so they can spend more time with their loved one would be a tremedous help! Or organizing and helping with babysitters so Mom and Dad can have some time to themselves in the healing process. The family members need just as much love and support and help adjusting as the service member.
Lora says
IKEA ME!
I would love, love, love to work with an organization that helps elementary students who have fallen behind with reading get caught up.
I would also love to work at an animal shelter but feel that I would become too emotionally involved and want to adopt every animal that was brought in!
Hilary says
IKEA ME!
I would work on bettering my inner-city neighborhood. I would buy up vacant and nuisance properties, renovate them or turn them into parks and gardens.
Heather Joly says
IKEA ME!
I would love to help battered animals, and work for the humane shelter.
Jessica says
IKEA ME baby!!
Lindsey says
Ikea Me!
I’d want to do something to help babies. Either with teen mom’s, babies addicted to drugs or something. Ever since having my own son (almost 2 years ago) I get so, so upset when I see or hear of a baby who isn’t getting the greatest care possible. I think starting young would eliminate so many other problems.
Jennifer says
Ikea Me!
If I had the chance, I’d spend a year off working with a horse rescue.
Kelly says
IKEA Me
There are so many things I would do if I could take one year to help others, some would include; visit schools to talk to children about bullying and the effects it can cause; provide support and encouragement to people going through breast cancer treatment; help out at our local crisis nursery and children’s hospital; help homeless people obtain employment; and organize programs for children to promote giving back and helping others.
Sarah says
IKEA ME!!
If I could take a year off I would want to work with teen moms, organizing parenting classes, working with child care so they can finish school and mentoring them.
Erika S. says
Ikea me, please!
I’d like to spend a year in Africa helping to build up rural communities – improve farming, irrigation, water supplies, schools for children, etc.
Sarah says
IKEA ME!
I would love to spend a year working with students in underprivileged areas to gain access to higher education. It was something I really wanted to do after I graduated from college but those plans did not pan out.
Linden says
IKEA ME! I absolutely love my job, but I also have a passion for educational opportunities for children! If I could take a year off, I’d probably try to start a non-profit that would train more mentors/tutors for kids in under-served areas.
Mrs S says
Ikea me!
I would fund an education program for literacy improvement.
[email protected] says
IKEA ME!! Would love this! I own nothing from IKEA and this would be the perfect thing to get the IKEA virgin in me started!
Laura says
IKEA ME!
I have always had a heart for fostered kids and their social workers so I would love to have the opportunity to volunteer in that program for a year.
tracy jones says
ikea ME!
I would design and build a rockin animal shelter for small and furry creatures like guinea pigs and bunnies.
Kim says
IKEA Me!
amy says
IKEA ME!
i’d love to have some beautiful home accents or new curtains throughout my home. =) all the little details need filling in.
Britt says
IKEA ME!
I would love to spend a year helping set up elementary orchestra programs or expanding music programs in low-income areas.
Mary Beth (Cats, Books, Life is Good) says
I would spend it training dogs in animals shelters, getting them ready to go home with new families.
Julia says
IKEA ME!
As a librarian, I see the importance of reading everyday. I would love to start an adult literacy program, and also teach young mothers how best to instill reading basics in their children.
Amy N says
IKEA ME!
Ang says
“IKEA Me!”
Rescue animals!
PatC says
IKEA ME!
I would volunteer at a crisis pregnancy center; counsel and mentor future mothers. Plant seeds of hope for the next generation.
MicheleLouise says
IKEA Me!
There are so many things I would do with a year to volunteer. Animals really tug at my heart so I would love to volunteer at an animal shelter. Reading is another passion of mine, I would love to help kids who struggle with reading learn to read more easily and learn to find joy in it.
Siobhan says
IKEA me!
Karen B says
IKEA Me!
With a year dedicated to helping others, I would work to connect people to orphan care initiatives in Ethiopia – helping them make a difference in a child’s life through adoption or child sponsorship.
Karen says
Ikea Me!! I’d spend the year doing environmental education!
Cait says
IKEA ME!
I would spend the year volunteering at my childhood summer camp (the oldest in the country and a non-profit seriously in need of some TLC). They need hands-on help with the kids and training the staff, but also in fundraising and alumni relations.
Elaine says
IKEA ME!
I think I would love to spend a year improving nutrition at schools. Meal programs are really lacking all over the country and it shouldnt be that way. When everything comes down to dollars and cents, kids health gets slighted.
Kristi says
Ikea Me!
I would spend the year working to building environmental awareness in communities that may not be the greenest. It’s easy to find lots of environmentally friendly products and services in bigs cities like Chicago where I live. But in smaller communities, it’s much more difficult. People tend to think being green is expensive, but I’d like to building recycling programs and show people just how easy it can be to be green without spending a ton of money.