Brookwood in Georgetown

The financial component to the prize would be used to help fund our program, which includes providing entrepreneurial and residential opportunities for adults with special needs, who we refer to as “Citizens.” In nine years, our community has grown from a total of 8 men and women to now over 90, spread over 3 campuses in the Austin, TX area. Our Citizens are becoming famous in our area for their high-quality work and engaging spirits.

  We are especially excited about the amplification aspect of the prize. Our vision for providing meaningful work and a supportive community for adults with special needs is not limited to our local area. One aspect of our mission is to change the way the world views and experiences adults with special needs. Already, others have sought our help in developing their own programs, leading us to initiate a replication strategy. We are excited about the possibility of using the Elevate Prize as a platform to help us further accomplish our mission

In college, I felt called to join the Peace Corps, move to another country and help a foreign people using the education I received. Right before graduating, I ran into Brookwood at a career fair and was immediately taken back by what I was hearing. I toured the campus and felt that this is where I needed to be. For me, the Peace Corps was helping a foreign people, use my education and talents to contribute and most importantly, learn from them. Brookwood embodied this experience. The population we serve is largely foreign in their own country. Most are hidden from society and unable to meaningfully contribute to the community. There are millions of functionally disabled adults in the US today that are not meeting their full potential. Through organizations like BiG, I hope these men and women might realize their God-given potential. I am very passionate about doing everything in my power to make this possible and more accessible to as many people as possible.

Brookwood in Georgetown (BiG) is an innovative entrepreneurial community that elevates adults with special needs, who we call Citizens, to become artisans, bakers, jewelry makers and much more. Big provides our Citizens with a beautiful, life-giving place to belong and that enables them to thrive.

 We enrich their lives with opportunities for continued learning, self-expression through the arts and movement, and meaningful social interactions with their peers, job supervisors, and volunteers from the community. An essential aspect of our mission is to change the way society views individuals with disabilities by providing ample opportunities to show off their beautiful work products and capabilities.

  BiG provides training and support for our Citizens to succeed in modified job tasks, allowing them to experience the dignity and satisfaction of accomplishing real work. Our supervisors constantly work to bring out the giftedness of our Citizens while reducing negative behaviors. We want our participants to feel valued and important as they bring their unique talents to BiG each day. This in turn, positions them to be able to change the way the world views adults with functional disabilities as they display the beautiful products they make, and as they interact with the community.  

We dream of a society where those with intellectual and physical disabilities are seamlessly integrated into social, business, religious and recreational activities. We believe that every person has unique abilities, and, when given the opportunity and appropriate support, has something significant to contribute to their community. BiG has a vision of an inclusive, empowering world for adults with special needs.

Historically, day programs for this population simply provide custodial care and menial tasks, at best. What is innovative about Brookwood in Georgetown is that we provide an entrepreneurial environment where we empower our Citizens to contribute to the world in meaningful ways. They are able to explore their interests, learn new skills, experience authentic relationships, and earn the respect of others by completing meaningful work.

All our Citizens experience success, but success might look different for each individual. Our staff takes the time to know each Citizen personally. They assess each Citizen's strengths and challenges as well as their interests and preferences. New enterprises are carefully researched and added only if they support the abilities of our Citizens. Job skills are modified so that everyone can contribute to the collective goal. We emphasize not independence, but interdependence. 

We seek to improve the lives of adults with disabilities through vocational and residential opportunities, which provide important social interactions. BiG developed a work program that educates, trains and supports our Citizens in an encouraging, no-fail environment. The work program includes enterprises strategically chosen for their adaptability and their marketability. Supervisors make job modifications to ensure that every Citizen will experience the dignity of completing meaningful work.

To support our work program, BiG operates an award-winning retail shop and cafe. Our Citizens are engaged in these support arms of the organization, showing off their talents and providing excellent customer service. Through such interaction, BiG is changing the way that society views, includes and acknowledges adults with disabilities. Customers are wowed by the beautiful pottery, jewelry, culinary items and soaps that our Citizens create, and they see firsthand the enthusiasm and abilities of our participants as they work in the shop and café.

  BiG Citizens are flourishing. As an example, when Eric first came to BiG, he would introduce himself by saying, “My name is Eric and I have Autism.” He felt the need to explain himself. Now, he introduces himself by saying, “My name is Eric and I’m an artist.”