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The BiG Store and Cafe offers handmade products from the citizens of BiG. (Bretagne Andes / Community Impact Newspaper).
Erin and John Kiltz weren’t sure what life after high school had in store for their disabled daughter Gracie.
She graduated from Georgetown High School in 2010, and while her friends were going to college or looking for a career, her parents wanted Gracie to find her calling too. After visiting the original Brookwood Community in Brookshire, Texas, Erin found what they were looking for.
Modeled on the Brookshire home, Brookwood in Georgetown, or BiG, is a professional community for adults with special needs that encourages its citizens to create arts and handcrafted products such as soaps, jewelry and candles that can then be found locally in. The BiG souvenir shop, café and greenhouse are sold.
BiG started with eight adult participants in 2011 and now, as the program celebrates its 10th anniversary, has grown to over 80 citizens with special needs spread across three locations, two in Georgetown and one in downtown Austin.
“The work that BiG does makes sense to its citizens,” said Conni Thoms, Brookwood’s volunteer and special events coordinator. “You want to feel fulfilled and do something that is important.”
These sales in the gift shop and other locations help fund BiG along with donations through the website. All proceeds from the BiG Shop will be used to promote and maintain citizen independence in the Brookwood community.
The aim of BiG is to create a flat-sharing community for 80 residents who enable independent living with staff for daily needs. Grace Place, a new facility in Weir, Texas, is eight minutes from the BiG location and has six large houses, a small house village, and maisonettes for residents to live independently. Grace Place will have its own income-generating endeavors, such as a pet resort, special event venue, and drive-in theater, all run by BiG residents.
Gracie Kiltz – after whom Grace Place is named – was born with Down syndrome and was later diagnosed with leukemia. When she was 3 years old, Gracie lay flat for 20 minutes, causing severe brain damage that left her non-verbally and in a wheelchair. Despite her challenges, she was crowned Homecoming Queen and graduated from Georgetown High. Her life and journey were the inspiration for Brookwood in Georgetown.
She died in 2018 at the age of 26.
“This is the next step for adults with special needs who aren’t going to college but want something of a purpose,” said Thoms. “This place is special and with the construction of Grace Place we will need more volunteers and donations.”
BROOKWOOD IN GEORGETOWN
905 N. KIRCHENSTRASSE, GEORGETOWN
OFFICE: 512-688-5004
SHOP & CAF: 512-943-8430
Big business
Monday – Thursday; 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Friday Saturday; 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Sunday, closed
BiG CAFE Monday-Saturday; 8:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Sunday, closed
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