Extending a helping hand: a corporate responsibility.

• Position: Disaster relief contribution from Utah businesses

Preparing and mailing 5,000 thank you cards would be overwhelming to some organizations, but to the Salt Lake Chapter of the American Red Cross, it's a chore of love. The thank you notes express heartfelt gratitude for the Utah companies and individuals who gave more than $3 million in support of Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.

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"Hundreds of Utah companies, from smallest to largest, helped people displaced by Hurricane Katrina," says Mariann Geyer, CEO of the Greater Salt Lake Chapter of the American Red Cross. "Utah companies held fundraisers and matched employee contributions. It's an example of the generosity of Utahns." Geyer reports that recent natural disasters in the South seem to be motivating Utah companies to inquire even more frequently as to how they can rally their employees to help.

Natural disasters from the tsunami in Asia to the recent spate of domestic hurricanes prompted employees of Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah and their Regence counterparts in three neighboring states to donate $172,500 to help victims.

"We have a culture of giving that has been fostered since our founding in 1942," observes Kevin Bischoff, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah vice president of public and corporate affairs. Bischoff believes the flagship of Regence's corporate giving is the launch in 1992 of the Caring Foundation for Children. Through the foundation, Regence has helped 17,000 uninsured Utah children by providing them with dental care. Regence supplies approximately $350,000 a year to cover administrative expenses to run the charitable foundation. Donations are also offered by Regence of Utah's 800 employees, who have the opportunity to contribute to either the Foundation or United Way during an annual Regence giving campaign. Last year, employees gave $57,000 to the two charities.

"The Caring Foundation is a great example of what a responsible insurance company can do," says Bischoff. "We are providing uninsured children with an important health care option." Explaining why companies should run a corporate...