About Us
The Alliance of People with disAbilities, an Independent Living Center in King County, Washington State, has a long history serving the community. In 2010, the organization celebrates 33 years of continuous operation in King County (Seattle and Redmond). The Alliance (formerly the WCCD) exclusively assists and empowers individuals with disabilities. Alliance participants have all types of disabilities, and belong to any age group.
An IL Center is a community-based organization that works with individuals with disabilities on obtaining access to housing, employment, transportation, communities, recreational facilities, health and social services. Our center started when a group of King County disability rights activists joined together to urge enactment of regulations implementing Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act.
Since then the organization has changed and matured; we serve thousands of participants yearly, employ a staff of 13, and have a professional board of directors. Operating as an independent living center since 1991, we are dedicated to provide the four core independent living services which are:
1. Information and Referral
2. Independent Living Skills Training
3. Peer Counseling (on an individual and group basis)
4. Advocacy (self advocacy and systems advocacy). Our advocacy efforts at the Alliance include the Disabilities Law Project with a lawyer who handles civil rights cases for community members.
“Independent Living is having the right and opportunity to pursue a course of action. And, it is having the freedom to fail-and to learn from one’s failures, just as nondisabled people do.”
From ILRU