Founder of Big Wave Project Honored with CBS KPIX 5 Icon Award for Creating Community for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

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Mar 18, 2026, 08:54 ET

HALF MOON BAY, Calif., March 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Jeff Peck, founder of the Big Wave Project, has received the Icon Award from CBS Bay Area station KPIX 5 TV for his decades-long effort to create a community where adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) can thrive.

Jeff Peck (right), joined by his daughter, Elizabeth Peck (left), is given the CBS Icon Award for his visionary work in creating a supportive community where adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities-including Elizabeth-can live, grow, and thrive.

The Big Wave Center, a welcoming community designed for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live, learn, and build meaningful connections in an environment where everyone belongs.

The recognition highlights Peck's more than 25-year journey to develop the Big Wave campus in Half Moon Bay — a residential and community hub designed to support adults with special needs while fostering independence, friendships, and opportunities. The project was inspired by Peck's daughter, Elizabeth Peck, who will be among the 40 adults living on the campus when it opens this summer.

"Like any parent, I wanted my daughter to experience love, friendship, and have a sense of purpose," said Peck, a Coastside contractor who founded Big Wave in 1999. "I also wanted her to have a safe place where she could try new things, make mistakes, learn, and keep trying again."

According to the California Department of Developmental Services, more than 90,000 adults with IDD in California currently live with their parents. Many aging parents worry about who will care for their children when they are no longer able.

The Big Wave campus aims to address that challenge by creating a safe, vibrant environment where residents can build independence while remaining connected to a supportive community. In addition to housing, the campus will serve as a hub to the broader IDD community, with shared spaces designed to promote learning, employment skills, and social connection.

Construction of the approximately $37 million campus is nearing completion, with opening expected in June. The project includes 38 apartments and access to programming that supports independence, employment training, and community engagement.

Big Wave is currently accepting applications. Contact [email protected], or visit www.bigwaveproject.org.

About Big Wave Group

Big Wave Group is a nonprofit based in Half Moon Bay, California, dedicated to creating opportunities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to live, learn, and belong. The Big Wave Center includes housing for 40 adults, a commercial kitchen, day program, culinary and catering academy, and community gathering spaces. Adjacent Big Wave Farm offers gardening and nutrition education that promote healthy living and engagement.

Website: www.bigwaveproject.org Social: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube @bigwaveproject. Mailing: PO Box 1901, El Granada, CA 94019

Watch the CBS KPIX 5 Icon Award segment here: https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/big-wave-adults-special-needs-half-moon-bay-icon-award/

Media Contact:
Julie Shenkman
(650) 726-1005
[email protected]

SOURCE Big Wave Group