THE POPULATION

Brookwood accepts for residence, people that didn’t fit elsewhere; many with head injures, stroke, some blind, and those with retardation, with and without physical disability. Among the more than one hundred and thirty residents and day students, there are about 15 with autism.

PHYSICAL SETTING

Brookwood is located about an hour west of Houston, Texas in a rural area of small farms and residences. The closest towns are Brookshire, 2 miles away and Katy, 9 miles away with a mall, restaurants and movies. Brookwood owns 475 acres of property of which 80 acres are currently developed. Important looking brick buildings are set in a circle on the main campus and connected by well-planned paths. Several imposing structures are now in place.

The multi-denominational chapel sits elegantly at the end of the long entry road. The dome-topped administration building is connected to a cafetorium, an infirmary and clinic setting, a spacious gymnasium, and a creative indoor water park. A two-story building, called the Inn, houses about twenty-eight residents.

Work buildings include the ceramics shop, plaster-casting shop, the concrete sculpture shop, the print shop and the horticulture center that serves three functions: propagation, planting, and stocking plants. There are 37 green houses where potted plants are set to mature. Finally there is the Garden and Gift Center where products produced at Brookwood are sold, and the Café’ makes this flagship store a destination point for the Houston metro area. Beyond the work buildings there is a curved street of attractive homes of various sizes. Here live residents and staff members in what looks like a suburban neighborhood.

ADMISSION GUIDELINES

Parents place their adult children at Brookwood, knowing about its philosophy and guiding principles.They have determined that for the rest of their life their child is probably going to need support and supervision. They also believe that their child can still learn. They can learn how to become a better human being at work, at home, or at play. Brookwood believes that peoples’ lives begin and end with work. They think its more than an ethic, its an instinct. People want to do for other people, and they want to produce things with their hands. Having a purpose is an important part of life.

Families agree with Brookwood’s philosophy prohibiting dating among the residents. Someone who can date, and make the judgments and decisions implicit in that, doesn’t need to be at Brookwood. These rules help to get any ambiguity out of the resident’s life. If they know there is no dating, then generally, they know there is not going to be marriage or children. They begin to accept the fact that this is not going to be a part of their life, and singlehood is an acceptable option. They attend relationship seminars, and when couples talk about romances, they are given opportunities to discuss what they feel and how they plan to pursue a relationship. Most often, they are in it for very selfish reasons, and they don’t want to work at what it means to build a healthful relationship. They are helped to understand that and to come to terms with the fact that they’re not going to live their imagined vision of home and family like they see on TV.

Families commit to the notion of helping Brookwood raise money, through gifts of time and volunteering. This is all part of the enrollment agreement. They also make a financial life care plan for their child. That assures that will be funds to continue their child’s placement at Brookwood in the years ahead. A long range plan considers resources in the future, once the parents are gone.

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