by Elizabeth McFarland –

Have you had a chance to stop in to Brookwood in Georgetown’s (BiG’s) beautiful new building at 905 N. Church St.? If you haven’t, you should go in and try a bite at their café. Prominently featured on their menu is the delicious “Seeds of Strength Salad”, named in our honor for our 2016 grant of $25,000. The grant was used to purchase appliances for the café’s brand new kitchen.

In fewer than five years, Director Erin Kintz has reached her ambitious goal of providing a vocational program where adults with special needs are provided meaningful work in a variety of enterprises. Erin began her quest in 2011, when she realized her daughter Gracie, who suffered brain damage as a young child, was about to age out of the public education system. This meant that Gracie would no longer be provided with opportunities to learn, develop, and utilize her special talents.

Erin began searching for a program that Gracie could attend after she graduated from Georgetown High School. During her research, Erin learned about The Brookwood Community, founded near Houston by Yvonne Streit in 1985. Erin was captivated by Brookwood’s program, which provides an educational environment that creates meaningful jobs, builds a sense of belonging, and brings meaning and purpose to adults with disabilities. Erin was determined to start a pilot program, here in Georgetown, modeled after The Brookwood Community. Called Light Texas, the program began in donated space at a local church. Through Erin’s steadfast dedication and passion, as well as with the support of the Georgetown community, Light Texas quickly became a success.

In 2012, Light Texas became part of The Brookwood Community and was renamed Brookwood in Georgetown. It didn’t take long for BiG to begin outgrowing its borrowed space, so in 2014, it kicked off a capital campaign. Its goal was to raise money for a standalone building that could house both a workspace; where BiG Citizens would create handcrafted pottery, greeting cards, and granola; and a gift shop. Knowing the great unmet need for adults with disabilities in the Georgetown area, Erin was determined to have more space to bring in more BiG Citizens. She asked for help from our community, and our community responded in spades. Money and in-kind donations began pouring in. Within a year, BiG had purchased the building on Church St. and had began renovations to adapt the building to the needs of BiG’s Citizens.

BiG opened its new facility in May, with rooms in the back for the Citizens to work and learn, and a large gift shop and café in the front. The Seeds of Strength grant allowed BiG to purchase a large commercial grade oven and other equipment for the kitchen, which enables them to serve breakfast and lunch on Monday – Saturday from 7:00 am – 2:00 pm. Every offering on the menu is delicious and fresh, and the Citizens take great care and pride in their products. One thing that Erin has done at BiG that differs from the original Brookwood Community is that BiG Citizens work in the kitchen, preparing and serving food. The Citizens say that this is one of their favorite jobs!

Although Erin has met many of her goals, she is not stopping now–she has even greater plans for BiG. Next on her list is erecting a greenhouse, which has already been purchased with funds from a previous Seeds of Strength grant. The Citizens will grow hydroponic lettuces and herbs in the greenhouse, and possibly more vegetables and produce. She also envisions a residential facility in Georgetown that will serve Citizens from all over Central Texas. Based on her incredible accomplishments to date, and the deep commitment and support from the Georgetown community, there is no doubt that Erin’s dreams for BiG will continue to come true.