This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

For every person walking through the doors of a shelter, there's almost always a sad story to tell, but at one Utah shelter, there are hundreds of thousands of feel good stories as well.

From the people who are able to get back on their feet, to the kids who are able to smile again, St. Anne's Homeless Shelter can undoubtedly say they are making a positive difference in people's lives. But they readily admit that none of it would be possible without corporate support. And one organization they credit with helping them fulfill their mission is America First.

In addition to financially assisting St. Anne's with building a new shelter, the credit union's staff members - through their Greater Good program - have been volunteering their time at the shelter, serving dinner every Wednesday night, and lunch the first Tuesday of every month.

"It's very important to us, because it frees us up to help people staying here in other ways," the Shelter's Head of Development Stacey Gallegos said. "So we can't thank America First enough for their loyalty, their support and their compassion, and like we said before, we could never do what we're doing here without their help."

For the past two and a half years America First's Greater Good program – an internal volunteer program – has been at the forefront of doing what Credit Unions do best – helping people.

"We've always been very service-oriented," Community Outreach Administrator Keicha Christiansen said. "We don't see ourselves as just a provider of financial services. We want to be a real resource, not only for our members, but also to the communities we do business in."

Last year they provided volunteers for 15 different organizations, some – like St. Anne's - on a continuing basis.

The program's goal is to enable America First employees to volunteer effectively, with support from the Credit Union. Employees are encouraged to go out and find the needs in their communities, and the causes they care about. They then connect with those organizations to find hands-on ways they can help. The idea is then taken to America First's Community Outreach department, where it's screened for approval.

Staff participation is completely voluntary, but the response has been tremendous.

"I did a survey in the department just as we finished 2014, and I got really positive feedback about how much the staff enjoy it and how much they look forward to it," VP of Contact Centers, Chad Tanner said.

Last year 83 volunteers put in a total of 328 hours of service at St. Anne's Shelter alone, and it seems they've committed to paying it forward even more for 2015, because the response from staff members who pledged their time and service this year was greater than the need. Sixty-seven percent of America First's Lending Sales Contact Center staff volunteered to serve at St. Anne's for 2015.

"My philosophy is that we're way too big to not do something," Tanner said. "And that's probably why we got more heavily involved."

For Tanner, volunteering at the shelter is about much more than doing a good deed. It's an experience he likens to an awakening of the soul. One particularly memorable experience was that of a little girl who asked if she could have his number so that she can call to set up a play date with his kids. It's experiences like that, which keep Tanner and his staff focused on playing their small part to contribute to the 'greater good'.

While St. Anne's continues to serve up 200 to 250 lunches daily, as well as breakfast and dinner to the families staying at the shelter, they also remain committed to educating the community about their efforts.

"It's not that just a free for all here," Gallegos said. "We have programs to help the people staying here be productive citizens again in the community. We help them find jobs and get housing, because we want them to succeed and to be self-sufficient," she said.

The financial support they receive from America First, and the volunteer hours staff members put in through the organization's Greater Good program go a long way toward helping St. Anne's recognize these goals.

"They've shown us for years that they truly believe in what we do here," Gallegos said. "And for that, we just want to say thank you very much from the bottom of all of our hearts."