Giving Back: The True Meaning of the Holidays at First Utah Bank

About 250 kids in the Salt Lake Valley will wake up Christmas morning with presents under the tree, thanks to First Utah Bank employees who take their holiday shopping very seriously. Armed with wish lists, matching Santa-themed shirts, and a whole lot of enthusiasm, they’re getting ready to take over local stores this month.

It all starts with a yearly holiday decorating contest that goes above and beyond tinsel and lights, and segues into an all-out shopping spree for kids in need. It’s a giving event that energizes the entire workplace, combining team spirit with community impact.

The Decorating Contest

Right now, the bank’s offices are in full-blown decoration mode, as staff members engage in a little friendly competition to see who can create the most festive space. And the prize? The winning team gets to design next year’s shopping shirt for the bank’s annual Toys for Kids program.

“It all correlates with a real focus on holiday giving and team camaraderie,” says Amy Foulks, EVP, Chief Operating Officer at First Utah Bank. “We combine the decorating contest with Toys for Kids, because it is absolutely critical to our culture that both exist together.”

Something Better Than a Box of Chocolates

For many years, the bank had been sending out small gifts to customers during the holidays, like many businesses often do. These gifts weren’t altogether that special. They were your typical corporate fare; boxes of nuts and/or chocolates that were easily forgettable, and didn’t give back to the community in a meaningful way.

Instead, that holiday budget was re-directed toward something that would matter more — shopping for kids who might not otherwise have a Christmas.

“We wanted to make a bigger impact during the holidays, says Foulks. “We knew that a lot of our customers wouldn’t care about getting another box of nuts, and that it would be so much more important for us to do what we’re now doing.”

The Annual Shopping Blitz

First Utah Bank partners with Neighborhood House and the Guadalupe Center to identify children in need, providing each child’s name, age, gender, and wish list to bank employees. The organizational part alone involves a huge amount of cross-collaboration in creating lists, buying presents, and getting them wrapped. This year, with about 250 kids on the list and 109 employees, each staff member will buy gifts for multiple children.

Then the shopping begins. Everyone starts scheming and planning, as teams coordinate to go on a massive shopping spree, taking over stores in their matching holiday shirts. “They wipe the place out. There are no toys left after we show up,” says Foulks.

Giving Back to the Community

The enthusiasm runs so high that partnering organizations have had to set boundaries for bank employees, establishing limits so that each child gets an equal amount of presents. The kids who receive these gifts will never know who shopped for them, but they’ll experience an unforgettable Christmas. For employees, the program offers something equally valuable. It’s a chance to make a real difference during the season of giving.

“We really focus on community giving and being a part of our community all year long, and this is a really nice way to wrap the year up,” says Foulks. “It’s a big deal for these kids to get Christmas presents, because many of them also have food insecurity issues.”

As teams compete to create the most festive decorations and design next year’s shopping shirt, they’re building something that extends well beyond the office, where celebrating together means lifting others up, and where the holidays are about creating joy that ripples throughout the entire community.

That’s why the giving season at First Utah Bank isn’t about checking boxes or going through the motions. It’s a reminder for everyone involved that the best part of the holidays isn’t what you receive, it’s knowing you made someone’s year a little brighter, and showing up for those who need it most.