Partnering With The Community
WRPS support of community initiatives, focusing on education, improving the quality of life and economic development, is strengthening the community.
In many instances, the support has been for the construction of new facilities or the creation of new services or events that provide long-term benefits for the region’s residents. Some of the major contributions are highlighted below.
WRPS has contributed nearly $8 million to community events and initiatives.
Education
Higher Education
WRPS’ significant donations to WSU Tri-Cities and Columbia Basin College since 2009 have supported:
- Hiring of engineering faculty
- Establishing and continuing a Nuclear Technology Program
- Financing a range of student scholarships
- Equipping engineering and chemistry laboratories
- Promoting projects with local small businesses and non-profits that provided students with credits or stipends.
Delta High School
WRPS donated $150,000 to the Washington State STEM Education Foundation to help fund construction of Delta High School, a specialized school serving Mid-Columbia students that emphasizes STEM subjects in science, technology, engineering, and math.
Washington State STEM Education Foundation
Since 2015, WRPS has provided continuing support for the STEM Foundation’s efforts, focusing on the development and expansion of the award-winning STEM Like Me! program that brings working STEM professionals into the classroom.
Junior Achievement
WRPS sponsors the annual Titan Business Challenge where local high school student teams compete in the management and operation of virtual businesses. The teams are challenged to outperform the competition in profit, sales and market share. WRPS employees also teach JA’s financial education curriculum in local schools and help raise funds by participating in the annual Bowl-a-Thon.
Hanford Reach Interpretive Center
WRPS contributed $600,000 towards construction of the Hanford Reach Interpretive Center, a facility that serves as a museum, performing arts center and interpretive center for the Hanford Reach National Monument. It also provided funds to help develop an environmental natural resources educational program and artistic sculptures created by area high school students to adorn the facility.
Improving The Quality Of Life
United Way of Benton & Franklin Counties
WRPS is one of the Tri-Cities’ largest corporate contributors to the United Way, paying its contribution to the Cornerstone Program which goes to offset the overhead costs of the organization, allowing employees to maximize the impact of their contribution.
The ARC of Tri-Cities
WRPS donated $100,000 to help build a new service facility and has provided continuing support for the organization’s programs.
2nd Harvest
WRPS contributed $75,000 toward the construction of a new Second Harvest food distribution center in Pasco that almost doubled the non-profit’s capacity to provide food to needy Mid-Columbians. WRPS has also contributed to the organization’s Bite2Go program, which provides elementary school kids with weekend food kits.
Kadlec Foundation
WRPS was the first member of the Kadlec Foundation’s Corporate Giving Society, donating $10,000 to support community health programs, including community health education, scholarships for students pursuing health care careers, and maintaining a K9 program at the hospital campus in Richland.
Chaplaincy Health Care
With other Amentum affiliates, WRPS has been the lead sponsor of the Chaplaincy’s annual “Lighting the Path” fundraising event which typically draws approximately 1,000 people.
Safe Kids Benton Franklin Coalition
WRPS’ support of this group enabled the expansion of a number of community safety efforts, ranging from water safety to bike safety to home safety.
WRPSpeed
This employee group supports the community with fundraising and outreach activities throughout the year, often performing community service projects.
Economic Development
Small Business Incentive Program
Since 2011, WRPS has provided the Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce with a $30,000 annual donation to fund grants to local small businesses. The grants provide companies with up to $2,000 each to help them obtain essential software or equipment, train workers or build a website.
Women in Business Conference
Working with the chamber, WRPS established the annual Women in Business Conference that has become the largest one-day event of its kind in eastern Washington. It brings together female leaders, corporate executives, business owners and young professionals to share insights, exchange ideas and empower their careers.
Meet the Buyer Program
WRPS sponsors the Meet the Buyer program that connects businesses with government agencies and prime contractors. The quarterly events educate businesses about what the agencies buy, how they buy, upcoming projects and more.
Visit Tri-Cities
To showcase the region’s tourist attractions, WRPS joined with the Port of Pasco to co-fund an interactive visitors welcome kiosk in the expanded Pasco airport. WRPS has also funded the installation of two satellite visitor centers in Richland and Pasco.