BI contributes $25K to YWCA shelter that recently experienced fire
Published 1:30 am Wednesday, June 3, 2026
At its May 26 regular business meeting, the Bainbridge Island City Council authorized a one-time contribution of $25,000 from the governing body’s contingency fund to the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) Alternatives to Living in a Violent Environment (ALIVE) Shelter in Bremerton to provide immediate support following a recent fire that disrupted operations.
On Feb. 19, the shelter was severely damaged by a fire, displacing both residents and staff and destroying personal belongings and supplies. No deaths or serious injuries followed the fire, but the building is currently uninhabitable due to the damage.
The shelter is the only state-certified domestic violence provider in Kitsap County. Bainbridge Island residents have used this domestic violence resource consistently for the last 20 years, even though the city has not historically provided ongoing funding for it, per meeting documents.
Council shared they have received up to 25 emails from community members supporting the city’s contribution to the YWCA ALIVE Shelter. Diane West, YWCA housing coordinator, and Maureen Olson, a legal advocate for YWCA, spoke during the public comment portion of the council meeting.
“Our agency has had to house shelter clients and their children at a local hotel, where we have also had to provide meals. This is a new cost to us, something that is not in our budget; we don’t have the money to house our clients elsewhere. Our shelter is the only 24-hour shelter in our county. We have a great demand for our shelter, housing and legal services. We implore you to consider assistance to our agency,” Olson said.
On April 24, council indicated an interest in discussing a financial contribution to the YWCA Shelter. Bainbridge Island currently does not have temporary shelter options for individuals experiencing domestic violence. Local police and court personnel refer those in need to the ALIVE Shelter, which operates at a confidential location in Bremerton, and it remains a primary resource to Bainbridge Island residents.
“This is an extraordinary situation; their structure has burned to the ground,” said BI Mayor Clarence Moriwaki. “The funds that we have for human services are primarily for Bainbridge Island services. For all those people (who) are applying to the human services, I know you spend a lot of time putting together a very detailed application, then spend hours in the review process. I just want to make sure they don’t believe we are pushing someone to the front of the line. This is an extraordinary, very rare situation, so that’s why we support it. We believe they are supporting folks in our community.”
