Travel-industry company Idyll Ltd. of Media, Pa., has received the second annual Newman's Own/George Award for corporate philanthropy. The company was named "Most Generous Company in America" last week by Paul Newman, president of Newman's Own, and John Kennedy, editor-in-chief of George Magazine.

Idyll and company president Hal Taussig received the award for the company's work to create jobs and rebuild neighborhoods.

The company creates personalized vacation packages for travelers worldwide. All of Idyll's profits are donated to the company's charitable foundation.

The foundation in turn funnels the money into a low-interest lending program, where individuals and small businesses can apply for start-up funds. In return, borrowers must work to create jobs among the unemployed and assist with low-cost housing in problematic urban centers.

"It's not necessary that the companies give away 100 percent of their profits," said John Kennedy. "The message of this award is the idea that investing in the community makes good business sense."

Idyll will receive a $250,000 check to be given to the charity of its choice. The firm was chosen from more than 400 nominated public and private-sector companies.

Nine other companies were honored for their philanthropic endeavors: The Longaberger Company of Newark, Ohio; Give Something Back Business Products of Oakland, Calif.; The Home Depot of Atlanta; Byers' Choice LTD. of Chalfont, Pa.; Coborn's Inc. of Saint Cloud, Minn.; BellSouth-Florida of Miami; Experimental and Applied Sciences of Golden, Colo.; MTV/VH1/Nickelodeon Networks of New York; and Kenneth Cole Productions of New York.

Full text of the article is currently found at:
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/990520/most_gener_1.html