Brookwood Community

Many years ago, I visited Brookwood for the first time. The history of this unique place intrigues me.
Yvonne Tuttle Streit founded The Brookwood Community in 1985 in Brookshire, Texas, to provide a nurturing residential and vocational environment for adults with disabilities, including her daughter, Vicki. Along with her husband, Dave, she established the 485-acre community to offer purposeful work in horticulture, ceramics, and other enterprises. There are now 100 residents who live and work here.

Sam and I went for a visit, and I wanted to share with all of you. There are so many things to love about this place. The gift shop. The greenhouses, the chapel, the cafe, the moving swimming pool.

The Brookwood Community in Brookshire, Texas, operates 47 to 49 greenhouses on its campus, which are used to cultivate approximately 210,000 plants annually. These greenhouses support their Horticulture Enterprise, providing training and employment for adults with disabilities.

Specific annual numbers for marriages at The Brookwood Community Chapel in Brookshire, Texas, are not publicly disclosed. However, the venue is a popular, highly rated location with a country-style chapel that can accommodate up to 275 guests and hosts numerous weddings, as evidenced by hundreds of online reviews.

My heart goes out to parents who are raising a child with a disability. This place is a haven. I only wish there were more like it.

In southeast Texas, I’m known as the “Old Bird with Feathers of Wisdom for Women and a Soft Spot for Single Moms.” That is because I’ve worked with single mothers since 2007. I am eager to share the knowledge I have acquired, both from the school of hard knocks and through years of study and training, on setting boundaries and personalities.

         As a professional, I have worked in various areas of the business world and the education sector. I taught high school, and later I taught Braille to blind children. I even taught on the college level for a few semesters. My formal education includes a B.A. in Speech, Art, and Education and a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Texas.

         In 2007, I established a nonprofit called Single Moms EmpowerEd, specifically for single mothers.

    I am married to Sam, and we each have three grown children and fifteen grandchildren, as well as an adorable miniature poodle.

I use stories to illustrate the points I teach. We can learn valuable life lessons by observing others’ lives. My own stories have been published in books and national magazines. You can visit my websites to learn more about my work.www.gaishowalter.com