In the early 1950’s, an employee of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas named Francis Woods kept a small metal cash box in his desk drawer. If a coworker or friend was running short, Francis would loan them enough cash to get by until the next payday. From these simple roots, came the organization and official chartering of the Kansas Blue Cross Blue Shield Credit Union in July of 1953. Since that time, the idea's guiding principles have remained the same: (1) Only people who are credit union members can borrow here; (2) loans are made for 'prudent and productive' purposes; (3) a person's desire to repay (character) is considered as important as the ability (income) to repay. Members are, after all, borrowing their own money and that of their friends.