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Ikea Kicks off Life Improvement Project
September 13,
2011 by in UnCategorized 
By Home Furnishings Business in Community/Charitable Support on September 14, 2011
Home furnishings retailer Ikea is holding its The Life Improvement Project for a second year.
The project is designed to inspire and empower people to improve their lives, along with the lives of others in their community. As part of the second year of this national program, Ikea will be hosting a Life Improvement Sabbatical Contest that offers an opportunity to win a year-long sabbatical worth $100,000 to improve the lives of others and a series of in-store seminars. In addition, the retailer will perform random acts life improvement--unexpected moments when Ikea will surprise the public with tokens of appreciation to improve everyday moments in their lives.
Other events include a life improvement challenge where every Ikea store will commit to $10,000 to support local community initiatives and a soft toys for education campaign to donate 1 Euro to children's education programs for every soft toy sold through the holiday season.
The project reinforces the ongoing brand platform, Ikea, the Life Improvement Store, an idea designed to communicate the companys core vision and mission of creating a better everyday life for the many people.
More information on the program is available online. "The program began last year as a way demonstrate the concept of the Life Improvement Store but its become so much more, said Christine Whitehawk, communications manager Ikea U.S. The positive impact that our customers and our coworkers are making in their communities is inspirational. Were excited to expand the Life Improvement Project even more this year and to continue being a partner for consumers in improving lives at home and beyond.
Last year marked the inaugural year of the project and one of its core components -- the Life Improvement Sabbatical Contest. Of nearly 2,000 entrants and more than 46,000 votes cast by the public, Kyria Henry of Round Hill, Va., was the grand prize winner of a $100,000 prize from Ikea to pursue her passion of helping others.
Winning the Ikea Life Improvement Sabbatical Contest has allowed us to expand our programming, breed and train more dogs, and most importantly, place more service dogs with veterans, active duty military members and their dependents, said Kyria Henry, founder of paws4vets, which trains and pairs service dogs with veterans needing assistance. Words cannot express the amazing platform and opportunities this contest has given me and my project this past year.