Money isn't everything, even in business.

Everywhere you look in Southwest Florida, business people are donating time and skills to help those less fortunate. It's a way of life that is fostered from the top of organizations and from within.

Often the incentive to give is part of a corporation's culture. At the heart of the matter, many report, is the simple truth that helping others feels good.

But, as senior management of Oswald Trippe and Company has long understood, community involvement also is good business.

"Back in 1997 we formalized a vision statement recognizing that one of our key relationships is with the community," says John Pollock, president. "It's ingrained in our culture and we try to get all our employees to think about ways to build relationships in the community while helping people."

Each year, the insurance company, which has 130 employees and $17 million in annual revenue, recognizes employee philanthropy with its Community Service Awards. The program acknowledges volunteerism by rewarding employees with monetary gifts and donations to charities of their choice.

Oswald Trippe's approach goes beyond conventional volunteering and

donations. The company also seeks to enrich the community in creative new ways, such as its Blue Chip Enterprise Awards, a program dating to 1990 that recognizes small businesses that manage to succeed in the face of serious challenges. For-profit businesses in operation for at least three years and employing at least five employees may apply for the award. Oswald Trippe solicits and screens applicants and sponsors functions in Collier and Lee counties to recognize achievement.

"In this community, where there are not as many big companies, it's important for entrepreneurs to see how other business owners overcome adversity, face challenge and succeed," says Pollock. "The Blue Chips are always a great learning tool for us and for everyone in the audience."

Community involvement is not just an obligation, he adds, it provides opportunity.

"I think it's everyone's responsibility to be involved," says Pollock. "It's always a win-win situation. We win by learning from others and building relationships with other leaders and volunteers within the community. Organizations receiving our help win as well."

In 2002, the thomas riley Artisans' Guild won the Blue Chip Award. Tom Riley faced challenges starting a fine-woodworking business in 1991 in an area that already had several established woodworking shops. His north Naples business now employs 65 and has expanded to include a small foundry. Artisans' Guild cabinetry is showing up in residences around the world.

In this region, though, Riley and his Artisans' Guild are known as much for philanthropy as for fine cabinetry. In recognition of a company motto, "Whatever It Takes," Artisans' Guild sponsors several outreach programs to teach schoolchildren woodworking skills. Artisans' Guild's longest educational partnership is with Immokalee High School. Each year for the past five years, 18 students are given six half-day sessions to work with craftsmen. This past year, the company started a program with Palmetto Ridge High School to help establish a woodworking academy.

Although the motivation is partly to tap into a future workforce, Riley also likes helping people.

"Tommy's philosophy is a spirit of love and kindness and fairness and honesty," explains Danielle Poff, the company's community and civic involvement director. "He tries to instill that in employees and to the students that we reach out to."

Passing It On

At the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa in Estero, community involvement is strongly encouraged, both by the Hyatt Corporation, a family-owned business that promotes volunteerism in Hyatts all over the United States, and by local management.

Carlos Cabrera, vice president and managing director of the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort & Spa, came to this country under desperate circumstances as a young child, which may be why he considers community involvement so critical. Cabrera's family fled Cuba in the 1960s and made its way to Naperville, Ill., where the Catholic Church and local charities offered a nurturing environment for starting over.

"They made a difference in my life, and I've been very fortunate," he says. "That experience had a huge impact on me."

The Hyatt's corporate philosophy is one of supporting the community by encouraging employees to participate in volunteer activity. Through the Family of Responsible and Caring Employees (FORCE) program, management employees are required to provide 16 hours per year of support to a local non-profit at the Hyatt's expense. All employees are strongly urged to provide additional volunteer hours on their own time. Although employees are free to support causes close to their hearts, Hyatt also chooses a group to receive corporate attention. In 2003, the Estero resort sponsored and participated in constructing two Habitat for Humanity homes.

"With our various volunteer programs, our employees know that they work for people that care about more than making a buck," Cabrera reasons. "Through my work with United Way, I've visited the many agencies that receive money. When you see volunteers in soup kitchens and at the various agencies, you see that there is so much that needs to be done, and so many people out there doing it."

Training Ground

United Way depends on volunteerism to organize substantial capital campaigns. The United Way of Collier County's goal for its 2004-2005 campaign is $2.5 million, an amount that would be difficult to raise with a staff of just four. Nationally, it is the largest United Way goal undertaken by a staff of this size.

"Our strategy is to utilize tons of volunteers, not only in raising money but in our budget-review and allocations process," says Ernie Bretzmann, executive director of United Way of Collier County. "We have about 90 people working on it this year, and I recruit them from local companies."

Southwest Florida differs from other areas of the country that benefit from large corporations with histories of giving. The small United Way chapter receives greater donations proportionally than do others its size, so it depends more on volunteers from corporate and entrepreneurial enterprises to make things happen.

"Volunteers bring community ownership to the allocation process," Bretzmann says. "The money that we raise stays in the community, and local people make funding decisions. To have volunteers involved enhances our credibility."

To some, the challenges faced by volunteers in coordinating United Way campaigns, in helping with the day-to-day needs of nonprofit organizations, and in writing persuasive grant proposals are great preparation for business employment. "Quite frankly," says Bretzmann, "organizing a United Way campaign is a good leadership-development experience for employees."

Harlan parrish, president and chief executive officer of Colonial Bank, Southwest Florida re-gion, believes so strongly in the value of volunteer service as a professional training tool that bank management trainees are often required to spend their first three to four months on the job working with United Way. During their tenure with United Way, the trainees visit the nonprofits receiving funding. They also help volunteers from other corporations organize United Way campaigns.

"Management trainees are typically graduates just out of college with a business or finance degree," Parrish explains. "They don't really have a taste of the banking industry yet, or of how closely we are integrated with the community. As banks, we serve the entire community. From both a personal and development standpoint, this experience will help them out."

In addition to other community work, Colonial Bank also helps out by providing a free meeting place-its Community Room-at its regional headquarters in Bonita Springs.

"We told the Bonita Springs Chamber of Commerce what we had here, and that we wanted to open it up to the community to utilize at no cost," says Parrish. "It's a way to encourage an ongoing relationship between the bank, our clients and organizations that are committed to the community."

From Small Sparks

Sometimes the vision of just one or two individuals fuels a cause.

After moving to Southwest Florida about four years ago, Jimmy Roberts, program director for radio station WOLZ-FM (Oldies 95), became aware through an account executive at the station of the Pediatric Oncology Unit at The Children's Hospital of Southwest Florida. He met some of the children and was moved by their plight, so he launched the Kids with Cancer Radiothon, which has touched a chord among large corporations, small businesses and individuals throughout the area. In its first two years, the radiothon raised $256,000, and the momentum of people turning out for the cause is building.

During the all-day event, the station breaks from its oldies format to broadcast live from Edison Mall for 12 hours. Clear Channel Communications, owner of WOLZ, picks up the tab.

"This man's passion knows no bounds," Kathy Grey, communications executive at Lee Memorial Foundation, says of Roberts. "He is one of the most sincerely dedicated corporate volunteers I've ever met."

Deb Maurer and Jerry Greenwood, Robb & Stucky interior designers, have also put their vision to work for a cause. For the past seven years, they have donated their time and decorating finesse to a Habitat for Humanity house for the Lee County Building Industry Association's Parade of Homes. The home is decorated using furnishings found in the Habitat for Humanity Thrift Store in North Fort Myers. Robb & Stucky's drapery workroom donates window fabrics.

"The entire purpose is to promote Habitat for Humanity and the Habitat for Humanity Thrift Store," explains Greenwood. "Robb & Stucky helps the thrift shop year-round. If we've got an RTV [return to vendor] item that the vendor tells us to keep rather than pay a high amount for postage, we bring it right over to the Habitat for Humanity Thrift Store. Last year Habitat sold enough out of their thrift store to finance five houses."

Philanthropy isn't restricted to large corporations; charity also starts in small businesses, as with Carol Simontacchi, owner of Island Nutrition Center on Sanibel. She holds a support group for approximately 20 parents of children with autism at her home in Fort Myers.

After the publication of her book, Crazy Makers, which focuses on America's food culture and the building blocks of a healthy brain, she became interested in the relationship between autism and diet. Now working toward a Ph.D. in nutritional neurobiological chemistry, the nutritionist has a professional interest in the subject of nutrition and diet as it relates to disease. The support group formed as a result of a need she saw in the parents, mostly mothers.

"This endeavor is self-serving only in the sense that I get a great deal of gratification from it," she explains. "No-body's paying me, and it certainly does not work out economically. The main purpose of this group is to give these moms a place to meet each other and share their lives. I do believe that businesses have a social responsibility."