Almost everyone is familiar with the 7 deadly sins, right? You know – wrath, greed, sloth, pride, lust, envy and gluttony. Well, what do you get if you turn those 7 deadly sins upside down and tackle them in a way never seen before? The result would be Project 7 – a cause-related company thought up by founder, Tyler Merrick.

Merrick has taken the traditional list of the 7 deadly sins and put a spin on them that has created a tremendous amount of positive change. Let’s use gluttony as an example. Rather than focusing solely on a person who is gluttonous, Project 7 focuses on helping a person who has nothing to eat. Merrick’s desire was to start a company that exists “solely to give to others”. The company’s website, Project7.com, describes their mission and the reason Project 7 was created as: “A way to give back, inspire others and educate people on the real needs throughout the world. Our goal is to ‘Change the Score.'”

The 7 areas of Project 7 are fueled by the products that the company sells – everyday items that people use like gum, mints, coffee, t-shirts and bio-bottled water. The equation behind the company’s success: You purchase = Project 7 gives. Collected funds from product purchases are given to numerous non-profits that are doing incredible things throughout the world. Every purchase of the products sold through Project 7 goes towards tangible solutions in the following 7 areas:

Feed the Hungry
Did you know that more than 1 in ten American households are experiencing poverty related hunger? Project 7’s Feed the Hungry product supports 7 meals in an American community. Yes! Purchase your everyday products through Project 7 and you are making a change in the life of someone who is suffering right here in your own backyard.

Heal the Sick
Responsible for approximately 1 million deaths every year, Malaria is a disease that can easily be prevented through just a few simple steps! Choose a Project 7 product and you will help support the purchase of medication for a person who is suffering from Malaria.

Hope for Peace
The crisis in the DR Congo has killed approximately 5.4 million people in just the past 8 years! Project 7 teams up with nonprofits working in that area that has a heart for children who are suffering through the unrest. Opting for a Project 7 product supports one full day of counseling for a child of war and supports restoration of former child soldiers.

House the Homeless
Were you aware that there are an estimated 44 million orphans in the world? These children are often left parentless and homeless due to poverty, hunger, disease and war. Proceeds from Project 7 products go towards housing, food, education and health care for an orphan.

Quench the Thirsty
Were you able to turn on your faucet this morning and be greeted by clean water? Well, more than one billion people across the world lack what we consider a basic necessity: clean drinking water. In addition, almost 2 million children die every year from sanitation and water-related diseases. “Change the Score” and help Project 7 provide clean water to one person for an entire year!

Teach Them Well
In Sub-Saharan Africa, more than 33 million children are unable to attend school. Statistics show that a child in Uganda who quits school is 3 times more times likely to become HIV positive later in life than a child who has received a basic education. Through Project 7’s Teach Them Well product, a child in Africa can receive a week of schooling.

Save the Earth
With over an acre of rainforest being lost every second and the extinction of animal and plant species, it is no secret that there are tremendous consequences because of deforestation. Support Project 7’s Save the Earth Product and fruit trees will actually be planted back into the earth! In addition to the funding aspect of Project 7, the company also encourages volunteering and education. Partners and volunteers donate their time every month at a non-profit that is working towards positive change somewhere in the world within the 7 areas of need. Project 7 has entitled these monthly volunteering events “7 Days”. Interested parties can learn more about “7 Days” and how to become a local “7 Day” Chapter by visiting the website.

As far as education, Project 7 believes that the best way to inspire others is to educate them; the more that people understand the severity of these 7 issues that are taking place in this world, the more likely they will have a desire to become involved and work towards a positive change. “Our company’s goal is to truly put the power in the hands of the consumer by allowing them to pick causes to support,” stated. Merrick in a recent Dallas Business Journal article. “We are a for-profit company that exists to serve non-profits. It is a way to marry the two kinds of organizations to try to make a difference in the world.”

Project 7’s products can be found in over 2,500 stores, such as Whole Foods and Books-A-Million and has recently teamed up with Minneapolis-based coffee chain, Caribou Coffee. To learn more about Project 7, please visit www.Project7.com

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