Q&A with Lee Langston, Operation Give Back founder, on winning the IKEA Challenge
February 17, 2012 12:58 pm | Filed Under: Clubs
On Feb. 3, the home improvement company IKEA selected various community projects across the nation to receive a $10,000 prize for their contributions to society. Operation Give Back founders Wendetta and Lee Langston, along with their family, friends, and partners, rejoiced in finding out that their program was one of these recipients. They will be working with the company in the next few months. (Image Credit: Operation Give Back)

How did OGB get involved in the challenge?

The experience was really powerful and exciting. We started out in the IKEA challenge by submitting our organization to be evaluated by the company. Then we were selected as one of three service projects in the area that would be voted upon to receive the award. During the 14 days when the voting occurred, we asked family, friends, and partners of OGB to text votes to the challenge. To our surprise we were honored by becoming the winners and recipients of the gracious prize.


What exactly will you receive in the next month or so?

What we have won is over $10,000 worth of gifts and furnishings from IKEA, meant to be used for the makeover of our center. By the end of the month, we hope to have been to their store, seen what they have for us, and come to a conclusion about what we can collaboratively do with it. At the moment most of the furnishings in our center have been donated. With IKEA’s help, we should be able to replace this hodge-podge of stuff with complete sets of tables, desks, chairs, etc.


How do you think the new furniture will affect your current center?

IKEA is giving us things that hopefully will make our center more functional, and create a more effective storage system. After we have decided what is going to be moving in, we can start thinking about where the furnishings we have right now will go. Of course, some of it will probably be thrown away due to old age, but other stuff, if salvageable, can go to needy families in our neighborhood.
Do you have any other plans for the challenge results, other than refurnishing the center?
For those in our community who are currently homeless, who have lost their homes due to fires or evictions, for those who have nothing, I think we should be able to turn some portion of the $10,000 into “starter-kits” for them. These families will receive whatever it is they are lacking, such as packets of utensils (knives, forks, plates, etc). Concisely put, we hope that the prize money can be indirectly shared among other people in the community.


Is there anything else you’d like to add?

In the end, the money and donations from IKEA are much appreciated, very much needed, and will be an exciting process to go through.