NEW Alumna: Where are they now? Brenda Brooks, Poet

We love hearing from our New Endeavors by Women (NEW) alumni as they move on in the world. Their stories — successes, challenges, new adventures — are a beacon of encouragement to current residents. Many of these women are active in the NEW community, giving back and uplifting others who follow in their footsteps.

Alumna Brenda Brooks is one such light. When she arrived at New Endeavors by Women, she was at the end of a long career working for places like the National Labor Relations Board, private law firms, and a group home that had ceased to operate. NEW provided her a safe place to land and regroup.

“I couldn't have been at a better place. I've heard so many horror stories about homeless shelters and whatnot, and when I walked in, not only was it a beautiful building, but the staff was just great. I said, this is really wonderful place. I was flabbergasted—I had no idea the rooms were individual. You have your own keys. The rooms were just beautiful.”

After four years at NEW, Brenda applied for a permanent residence with the support of her case manager and has settled into independent living quite happily. She runs an independent women’s ministry and shares lunch and Bibles with women she meets on the street. Whenever she can, she encourages women in tough housing conditions to seek support from NEW:

“ I tell them I recommend this place called New Endeavors, and I tell them that it’s wonderful … and I say there is a program where they accept women with children.”

Brenda is a poet, and feels her writing is an extension of her ministry. Many of her poems are inspired by women she met at NEW or people she has encountered on the street. She feels that writing poetry is a calling from God, and has published one collection of poems. She held a reading and book signing event at NEW when it first came out. You can learn more about Brenda or order her book of poems here.