Who We Are

Our Mission

Providing job training and community employment opportunities for adults with disabilities.

Over 50 years and still going strong!

About Us

Today, Peninsula Services is the primary nonprofit organization delivering advocacy, employment, housing related supports, and community based programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Bremerton, Washington, with services extending across Kitsap, Mason, and Thurston Counties. Our work is grounded in a simple belief. People of all abilities belong, deserve dignity, and should have the opportunity to live full, self directed lives within their communities.

This work builds on nearly a century of advocacy, education, and community leadership that began long before Peninsula Services existed through an organization now known as Peninsula Alliance. Together, our history reflects a continuous commitment to inclusion, opportunity, and belonging.

Our History

The roots of this work trace back to 1938, when Peninsula Alliance was founded as the Children’s Benevolent League. At a time when children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities were routinely excluded from education, employment, and public life, the organization emerged as a voice for advocacy, education, and community responsibility. Its early efforts helped shift public understanding and expand opportunity for individuals and families who had long been overlooked.

That early work was shaped by the leadership and civic vision of Senator Lulu D. Haddon, a public servant, educator, and advocate whose life’s work helped transform Washington State’s approach to education and disability services. Raised without access to formal schooling herself, Haddon understood exclusion firsthand and dedicated her career to expanding access for others. Her advocacy contributed to the development of institutions such as Rainier School and Olympic College, and her family’s legacy of public service continued through her daughter, Senator Frances Haddon Morgan.

A complementary mission was taking shape in Bremerton decades later. In 1971, what is now Peninsula Services began as Southwood, a voluntary residential program for adults who felt unable to navigate society successfully without additional support. Southwood served individuals with a wide range of needs, including survivors of domestic violence, people experiencing alcoholism, individuals with developmental disabilities, and others seeking stability. This work was grounded in the belief that support, dignity, and belonging are essential to independence.

Southwood’s original home was the Olympic Center on Marion Avenue, a site long associated with care, education, and public service. The building previously housed Harrison Hospital and later became home to the Frances Haddon Morgan Center, established by the State of Washington. This shared location placed the early work of Peninsula Alliance and Peninsula Services within the same philosophical landscape, rooted in advocacy, education, and a deep commitment to community inclusion.

Over time, both organizations evolved to meet changing needs throughout the region. Peninsula Alliance continued to advance advocacy, education, and community voice. Peninsula Services grew into a SourceAmerica affiliated nonprofit, expanding its work across Kitsap, Mason, and Thurston Counties through employment, vocational rehabilitation, and mission driven enterprise.

In 2023, Peninsula Alliance and Peninsula Services entered into a formal strategic partnership, recognizing their shared history, complementary strengths, and aligned vision. That partnership concluded on January 1, 2026, when Peninsula Services became the sole corporate member of Peninsula Alliance, marking a full affiliation between the two organizations.