Students in “Mom’s House,” a shelter home at the MORE Project.

Katy Holt-Larsen, executive director of the MORE Project, reading with children in Brazil.

Sergio and Silvia Ponce, President and manager for MORE Project Brazil with their students.

Students in the Professional School learning English.

Network Marketing Company founder and CEO Dallin Larsen with wife, daughter, MORE Brazil President and with “Father’s House” participants and coordinator.

Many network marketing companies support charitable causes through donations and volunteer activities. The MORE Project is such a cause, sponsored and funded by a network marketing company and its distributors who wanted not only to give back, but also make the two-way flow of giving and receiving an integral part of their company culture.

“Contributing to developing countries and underprivileged populations has always been part of the company founders’ vision,” says Katy Holt-Larsen, executive director of the MORE Project. “They looked around at existing nonprofit organizations and didn’t really find the right match.”

That’s when founder Dallin Larsen reached out to Brig Hart, one of their key distributors, and Brig reached out to a couple in his group, Doug and Janet Rowland, who had done missionary work in Brazil.”

Doug and Janet had several connections in Brazil and they recommended Sergio Ponce, a former orthodontist and minister who was helping the poor in the favelas or Brazilian slums.

“Dallin always wanted to give back to the country of Brazil,” says Katy, “because the key ingredient in his company’s product, the açai berry, happens to be found in the Brazilian rainforest along the Amazon river. When Sergio and Dallin met, there was an instant connection. Sergio already had several programs in place but was struggling financially with the nonprofit work he was doing. Dallin made a commitment to fund and develop what Sergio had started, and that’s how the MORE Project was born in 2006.”

A Culture of Giving

Giving is a core part of Dallin’s company culture, and corporate as well as field leaders emphasize this at every business meeting. Even the very first company video made emphasized the Five Star Opportunity, which includes a mission of giving back.

“The five stars are: great product, right timing, sound management team, fair compensation plan and compelling cause,” says Katy.

Here’s how Dallin puts it: “We believe we’re a blessed company. And when you’re blessed, you need to be a blessing to others.”

“The company mission is to provide people with an excellent health product and help them build financial freedom,” says Katy, “but it’s also about being part of that giving and receiving cycle. Distributors see this truly come to life through the MORE Project.”

The anecdotal feedback she continually gets from people is that they are proud to be associated with a company that walks its talk at every level.

For example, the corporation itself pays for all the administrative costs of the nonprofit. This means 100 percent of the fundraising goes directly to support the work in the field.

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