Assistance Dogs Northwest of Bainbridge Island, a nonprofit that serves people with special needs, will have three dogs and their partners graduating from its training program Aug. 30.

The dogs were recently matched with their new partners after completing 1 1/2 years of training and passing rigorous health and temperament screenings. All three dogs are 1 1/2-year-old black Labrador Retrievers. They join over 30 teams that have graduated from Assistance Dogs Northwest since 2017.

Jeanne Goussev and service dog “Sierra” will be on BI. Goussev is a law professional in the financial industry and nonprofit sector who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2021. She is also a sailor, who founded the nonprofit Sail like a Girl and co-captained the winning boat in the 2018 and 2023 Race to Alaska. Sierra will assist Goussev with activities such as opening doors, retrieving items that are out of reach, and getting help when needed. Sierra will also help with tremors by applying pressure and alert to severe food allergies.

Sky will work at the Thurston County Courthouse, helping children who are victims of crime or witnesses. Scout will help an 18-year-old in Maple Valley with muscular dystrophy. The dog will turn lights off and on, plus retrieve dropped items.

The nonprofit has multiple therapy dog teams participating in the Community Outreach program that partners with over 20 agencies in Kitsap County. These programs provide monthly support to hundreds of children and adults with special needs, elderly in assisted living and hospice care, at-risk youth, veterans with disabilities and victims of human trafficking.

The nonprofit provides all services free and is supported by donations from people, foundations and businesses. For details go to www.assistancedogsnorthwest.org.