IKEA US Chooses 43 Charities as Winners of the IKEA Life Improvement Challenge
IKEA U.S. is pleased to announce today that 43 charities across the U.S. will be receiving IKEA makeover and product donations as a result of winning this year’s IKEA Life Improvement Challenge. Additionally 77 other charities, who were first and second runner ups, will win an IKEA product donation.
IKEA wants to play a part in creating a better life for the many people, as well as communities touched by IKEA business. While IKEA works on a global level to improve the lives of people in developing countries, IKEA also wants to be a good neighbor in its local communities. The IKEA Life Improvement Co-worker challenge is one way to make a difference closer to home.
How the IKEA Life Improvement Challenge Works:
Each year, IKEA receives many inspiring proposals from IKEA co-workers as candidates for the campaign. Then the IKEA steering committee - at each store - selects up to three organizations for co-workers and customers to vote for online (this year’s voting period was March 27- April 10). The charitable organization, from each store market, with the highest number of online votes becomes the winner, and the 2nd and 3rd place winners receive an IKEA product donation.
Two of this year’s 43 winners are listed below as good examples of just how meaningful these charities are as well as the impact of these makeovers:
Illumination Foundation, Costa Mesa, California
Illumination Foundation's mission is to provide targeted, interdisciplinary services for the most vulnerable homeless clients to break or prevent the cycle of homelessness. The makeover would redesign the Stanton Children’s Recourse Center to ensure that the children are grouped according to their skill level in order to receive assistance tailored to their specific needs.
Warriors for Autism Inc., Tampa, Florida
Warriors for Autism's mission is to enlighten, enrich, and empower the lives of families on the autism spectrum by offering inclusive programs and services that fit the ever growing needs of the community. The makeover would furnish the new facility opening in spring of 2016, which will be an adaptive fitness and sensory center for children and young adults on the autism spectrum.
IKEA U.S. started the IKEA Life Improvement Challenge in 2011, and since then over 200 local charities have received over $1 million in IKEA products, design expertise, and manpower.
For more information on the winners, read here:
http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/this-is-ikea/people-and-planet/life-improvement-challenge/index.html
Contact: Mona Astra Liss, IKEA Corporate PR Director, Mona.Liss@IKEA.com, 610.834.0180, ext. 5852
About IKEA Group
The IKEA vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people. Our business idea supports this vision by offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them. There are currently 328 IKEA Group stores in 28 countries. Additionally, there are 40 IKEA stores run by franchises. There are 41 IKEA stores in the U.S. In FY 15, IKEA Group had 771 million visitors to the stores and 1.9 billion visitors to IKEA.com. IKEA incorporates sustainability into day-to-day business and supports initiatives that benefit children and the environment. For more information, please visit www.IKEA.com, facebook.com/IKEAUSA, @IKEAUSANews, @IKEAUSA, http://pinterest.com/IKEAUSA/, www.youtube.com/IKEAUSA, www.theshare-space.com, www.theshare-space.com/en/Blog
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