WPS Doubles Charity Gifts After Record Safety Year

When Wisconsin Public Service employees showed up for work safely every single day last year, their communities won big too.

The utility company doubled down on giving this winter, directing two $5,000 donations to Big Brothers Big Sisters and Wild Instincts after employees achieved record safety performance in 2025. One donation celebrated meeting fourth-quarter safety goals, while the other honored their best safety year ever.

The gifts are part of WPS's Safety Charity Challenge, a program that transforms safe work habits into community support. Each quarter that employees meet safety goals, they get to choose which local charities receive $5,000 from the WPS Foundation. No accidents at work means more help for neighbors in need.

Throughout 2025, WPS employees directed $25,000 total to charitable organizations through the program. The approach creates a powerful incentive: every safe choice at work directly benefits someone in the community.

Big Brothers Big Sisters chapters in northeast and north-central Wisconsin will use their donation to connect more adult mentors with kids who need them. The nonprofit pairs volunteers with children to build confidence, strengthen relationships, and help young people succeed in school and life.

Wild Instincts, a wildlife rehabilitation center in Wisconsin's Northwoods, cares for injured animals from tiny mice to massive bears. Since opening in 1998, the organization has treated and released more than 14,000 animals back into the wild.

The Ripple Effect

This program proves that workplace safety isn't just about protecting employees. When workers prioritize looking out for each other, entire communities benefit. A hard hat worn correctly or a safety procedure followed perfectly can eventually mean a child gets a mentor or an injured owl gets a second chance.

WPS and the WPS Foundation support hundreds of nonprofits across Wisconsin each year. But the Safety Charity Challenge adds something special: it connects daily choices on the job with real impact at home.

One company's commitment to keeping people safe is creating waves of good that reach far beyond the workplace.