THE BROOKWOOD COMMUNITY STORE RETURNS TO HUGHES LANDING IN THE WOODLANDS

The Brookwood Holiday Pop-Up Shop is returning to Hughes Landing in The Woodlands. Beginning October 1, the Brookwood store will offer a variety of market products and designer items as well as handcrafted holiday gifts and décor including their festive poinsettias. Many items are crafted locally by Brookwood Citizens.
 
Located on 485 acres in Brookshire, Texas, and less than an hour’s drive from The Woodlands, Brookwood is a residential and vocational community serving adults with special needs, known as Citizens, providing opportunities for work, physical engagement, friendship and faith.
 
“We are pleased to donate the use of this storefront space to The Brookwood Community, a non-profit dedicated to giving purpose to the lives of adults with special needs. The Brookwood store offers a selection of uniquely made gifts that are perfect for gift giving as we approach the holiday season,”  stated Marissa Moreau, Manager of Leasing for Howard Hughes. “We invite you share our spirit for giving by visiting the store and making a purchase.”
 
HHCares, the philanthropic initiative of Howard Hughes, donates and volunteers to over 180 causes and local non-profit organizations in the Greater Houston area each year.
 
Independence, decision making, and problem solving are some of the skills Brookwood Citizens learn through their daily jobs, working with over 100 others and engaging with the public. “Growing up as a single child, he was protected, as most kids in a similar situation would be. Being at Brookwood helped him to blossom by exposing him to people with different interests and personalities and helped him experience a world that is much bigger than he has ever known,” said Dale Mc Taggart, mother of a Brookwood Citizen.
 
Some of the popular items showcasing the talents of Brookwood Citizens are ceramics, candles, and Christmas items. Their expanded private label foods line will introduce four salsas this year, along with their eight jams and jellies. Fudge, another new enterprise will also be carried in the shop. A variety of screen-printed items such as tea towels and Christmas cards, and the embroidery work on linens is made right here in the Woodlands, crafted at Brookwood’s day program at The Woodlands United Methodist Church. “It makes the Citizens proud knowing their creations are sold nearby,” said Robin Shope, Retail Operations Manager, The Brookwood Community.
 
A Brookwood product will always have a gold seal that reads ‘The Brookwood Community’. Shope suggests you look for the craftsman’s initials on the back, letting you know it was made by one of their Citizens. Even the poinsettias you’ll find in the store are grown by Brookwood Citizens in their campus greenhouses – all 55,000 of them – planted with love and care, and with months of nurturing in order to provide pop-up stores like the one at Hughes Landing with beautiful poinsettias for holiday decorating and gift giving.  
 
A limited number of poinsettias will be available starting the week of Thanksgiving with two opportunities to pre-order for pick up in store at the Woodlands location.
 
Using an interdependent method of working together means every Citizen has an important role, contributing to the process of what’s being created. Knowing ‘I am important’ because everyone is counting on me to do my job well, so that the next person can do theirs, and so on. “Everyone is at a different level and has different interests. We highlight what they are interested in and good at doing. They are given a spot to succeed and shine,” remarked Shope.
 
“As a parent of a child with special needs, when you find a place like Brookwood that makes them feel immediately involved and part of a community, safe, well cared for, and like they have a purpose, which is a blessing,” offered McTaggart.
 
Your purchase at the Brookwood Store at Hughes Landing can be a blessing too. The proceeds help to benefit the non-profit community dedicated to serving adults like McTaggart’s son. Remember the Brookwood when setting out to find that special gift for a certain person in your life. You’ll be making a difference in so many others’ lives, as well.
 
“When people are introduced to Brookwood, they are amazed by the accomplishments of the Citizens and what they are able to make,” Shope shared. “They make things that I would not be able to do.”
 
Find your holiday gift at the Hughes Landing storefront at One Lakes Edge, suite E200. Beginning October 1 and until December 23, 2024, the store will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Look for the storefront adjacent to the multifamily residences and Whole Foods Market.
 
If the Brookwood story has left you feeling inspired, learn more about brookwoodcommunity.org and the volunteer opportunities that exist.