The Fortress Project Inc

THE FORTRESS PROJECT IS A CUSTOM HOME BUILDER AND REMODELING COMPANY WITH A PASSION FOR SERVING OTHERS IN NEED. OUR GOAL IS TO HELP PEOPLE EXPERIENCE THE LOVE OF JESUS CHRIST, THROUGH THE WORK OF HIS DISCIPLES. LIVING THIS GOAL AND DESIRING THE SAFETY OF HOMEOWNERS, WE REPAIR, RENEW, AND ADD HANDICAP ACCESSIBILITY TO HOMES FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES UNABLE TO HELP THEMSELVES DUE TO FINANCIAL CONSTRAINTS. THIS MISSION IS ACCOMPLISHED AT LITTLE OR NO COST TO THE HOMEOWNER; AND WHEN POSSIBLE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND LOCAL CHURCHES. WE ARE A SELF-FUNDED ORGANIZATION, THROUGH OUR CUSTOM CONSTRUCTION WORK.

2022 ACCOMPLISHMENTS:JANUARY: PROJECT 1. JOHN AND TERRY ARE MISSIONARIES THAT LIVE IN NORTH HUDSON, WISCONSIN. THEIR MINISTRY IS FOCUSED IN INDIA, WHERE JOHN IS THE PASTOR OF A CHRISTIAN CHURCH AND OUTREACH CENTER. THEY ALSO RECEIVE VISITORS TO THE U.S. PERIODICALLY. THEIR REQUEST WAS FOR HELP TO CREATE USABLE LIVING SPACE IN THE BASEMENT OF THEIR HOME, THAT WOULD ACCOMMODATE VISITING INTERNATIONAL MISSIONARIES.WORKING WITH PROFESSIONALS IN PLUMBING, DRYWALL, AND HVAC, AS WELL AS SEVERAL VOLUNTEERS AND PASTOR JOHN, WE ACCOMPLISHED THE TASK. A NEW BATHROOM WITH SHOWER WAS PLUMBED, TILED AND FINISHED. IN ADDITION, 2 BEDROOMS AND GATHERING SPACE WERE FRAMED, FINISHED, AND PAINTED. THIS PROJECT RAN FROM JANUARY TO LATE APRIL.PROJECT 2. ALSO IN JANUARY, WE WERE CONTACTED BY THE RIVER FALLS CITY INSPECTOR. A SINGLE MOM WAS IN DIRE NEED OF ASSISTANCE, AS HER HOME WAS TO BE CONDEMNED AND HER DAUGHTER WAS BEING PLACED IN PROTECTIVE SERVICES. HER PROJECT, A HOME RESET, WAS A 7 MONTH EFFORT, AND INCLUDED PARTNERSHIPS WITH 2 OTHER LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS, DOZENS OF VOLUNTEERS, AND THE HOMEOWNERS DAUGHTER. THE HOMEOWNER WAS A HOARDER, AND HAD LET ALL HOME MAINTENANCE LAPSE. WE BEGAN WITH THE PROCESS OF COMPLETELY CLEANING HER HOME AND GARAGE OUT OF ALL DEBRIS. IT WAS LITERALLY WASTE DEEP IN SOME AREAS. FILTH, FOOD, CLOTHING, BOXES, STENCH AND PET FECES OCCUPIED ALL SPACES. OVER THE COURSE OF THE FIRST MONTH, 4 DUMPSTERS WERE FILLED TO CAPACITY.THE FLOORING, CARPET IN MOST AREAS, WAS BEYOND SALVAGING. REMOVING IT REQUIRED RESPIRATORY PROTECTION AND CARE. LIKELY MORE THAN 5000 STAPLES WERE REMOVED ALONG WITH URINE SATURATED CARPET PADDING. AFTER CLEARING 3 BEDROOMS, DINING ROOM, LIVING ROOM, BATHROOM, KITCHEN, AND BASEMENT WE BEGAN NEXT STEPS. THE HOMEOWNER LIVED ONSITE, WITH AN ELUSIVE CAT AND OLD DOG, DURING MOST OF OUR EFFORTS. CLIMATE AND THE DOGS FREQUENT MESSES MADE THIS A CHALLENGING ENDEAVOR.AS SPACES CLEARED, WE BEGAN THE PROCESS OF CLEANING, REPAIR, AND REBUILDING. THE CITY INSPECTOR AND CPS REQUIRED THE HOME TO BE SANITIZED BEFORE HER DAUGHTER COULD RETURN. SEVERAL ROOMS WERE PAINTED, WINDOWS WERE WASHED, AND ALL OTHER WALLS WERE WIPED DOWN. (WE WERE IN THE MONTHS OF MARCH AND APRIL AT THIS TIME.) NEARLY ALL EXISTING FURNITURE AND BEDDING WERE DISCARDED. NEW AND GENTLY USED FURNITURE WAS BROUGHT IN. OLD FLOORING AND TRIM HAD BEEN REMOVED. IN JUNE WE BEGAN THE TASK OF REINSTALLING NEW LVT FLOORING, DONATED BY A LOCAL COMPANY. IN MAY WE HAD DISCOVERED A LOT OF ROT IN THE FLOORING UNDER THE BATHROOM AND KITCHEN SINK. PLUMBING AND SEWER IN THE HOME HAD BEEN LEAKING. THE SUBFLOOR IN THE BATHROOM WAS ROTTED NEAR THE TOILET, AND SEVERAL BUCKETS HAD BEEN PLACED IN THE BASEMENT TO CATCH LEAKING WATER AND WASTE. MUCH OF THE PLUMBING INSIDE THE HOME WAS REDONE THROUGH THE HELP OF LOCAL CHURCH VOLUNTEERS.JUNE AND JULY PRESENTED OPPORTUNITY FOR THE EXTERIOR OF THE HOME TO BE ADDRESSED. ROTTED DECKING WAS REPLACED, WINDOWS WERE CLEANED, THE YARD WAS TRIMMED AND OVERGROWN FOLIAGE REMOVED. A HANDRAIL WAS INSTALLED ALONG THE SIDEWALK, FROM THE STREET. AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF EFFORT HAD GONE INTO THIS PROJECT, FROM THE REMOVAL OF ITEMS AND CLEANING, TO NEGOTIATING WITH AND COUNSELING THE HOMEOWNER ON WHAT WAS NEEDED AND WHAT HAD TO GO. A PRODUCTIVE, ONGOING RELATIONSHIP HAS DEVELOPED, AND THE HOMEOWNER HAS MAINTAINED MUCH OF A CLEAN AND CLUTTER FREE HOME, AS OF THIS REPORT. PROJECT 3. IN LATE JULY, THE FORTRESS PROJECT RECEIVED A CALL FROM A BALDWIN CHURCH REQUESTING ASSISTANCE FOR A FAMILY WHO HAD JUST MOVED INTO A NEW HOME. OUR FORTRESS PROJECT MISSION PASTOR MET WITH THE BALDWIN PASTOR AND HOMEOWNER TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SITUATION. THE HOMEOWNER, 54 YEAR OLD ERIC, HAD SUFFERED A DEBILITATING STROKE 1 WEEK BEFORE THE MOVE, THAT AFFECTED HIS WHOLE LEFT SIDE (UNABLE TO MOVE), INCLUDING HIS COGNITIVE AND BODY FUNCTIONS. THE FAMILY OF 4 HAD PLANNED TO MOVE INTO THEIR NEW HOME AND FINISH THE BASEMENT BEDROOMS AND BATHROOM AS A FATHER-SONS PROJECT. ERIC'S RECENT STROKE MADE THOSE DREAMS IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCOMPLISH.AS IT WAS, THE SMALL, NEW CONSTRUCTION HOME DID NOT HAVE BEDROOMS TO ACCOMMODATE EACH OF THE 2 TEENAGED BOYS. THEY HAD SET UP BEDS AND TEMPORARY WALLS IN THE BASEMENT, AFTER MOVING IN, WHILE DEALING WITH THIS NEW FAMILY DILEMMA. WITH THE HELP OF VOLUNTEERS FROM THE LOCAL CHURCH, THE FAMILY, ASSOCIATES OF FORTRESS PROJECT, AND PROFESSIONAL DRYWALL FINISHER AND CARPET INSTALLER, THE WANGEN FAMILY NOW HAVE A FINISHED STAIRWAY AND HALL LEADING TO A FINISHED FULL BATH AND 2 LARGE BEDROOMS. THIS PROJECT REQUIRED VOLUNTEERS FOR FRAMING, ELECTRICAL, HANGING DRYWALL, PLUMBING, FLOORING, TRIM AND DOORS. THE TIME AND PLANNING WERE EXTENSIVE. IN SEPTEMBER THE BASEMENT WAS READY FOR FLOORING AND WINDOW JAMS AND TRIM. BY MID-OCTOBER THE BOYS FINALLY HAD REAL DOORS! THE PROJECT EXTENDED INTO 2023, WITH MORE TRIM, CARPETED STAIRS, AND RAILING. ALSO IN JULY:PROJECT 4. THE FORTRESS PROJECT WAS ASKED TO ASSIST AN OLDER WOMAN WHO SUFFERED MOBILITY DIFFICULTIES. SHE'S A REPEAT PARTNER WITH US, SHE HAS BOTH HELPED FP IN THE PAST, AND RECEIVED PRIOR ASSISTANCE FOR FP AS WELL. HER AGING TRAILER HOME HAS 1 BATHROOM, WITH ALL ORIGINAL FIXTURES. HER TOILET SAT LOW, AND IT WAS DIFFICULT FOR HER TO GET UP FROM. IT ALSO CONSUMED A LOT OF WATER. SHE REQUESTED HER TOILET BE REPLACED WITH A MORE COMFORTABLE ADA COMPLIANT UNIT. DURING THE INITIAL ASSESSMENT WE DISCOVERED SOME ROT IN THE FLOOR SURROUNDING THE TOILET. WHEN DIGGING IN FURTHER, WE ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE SUPPLY LINES WERE CREATED USING OLD GAS FITTINGS, AND THE SEWER LINE WAS CORRODED CAST IRON. THIS PROJECT REQUIRED ASSISTANCE FROM MULTIPLE FAMILY MEMBERS AND A PROFESSIONAL PLUMBER.PROJECT 5. EARLY NOVEMBER, THE FORTRESS PROJECT WAS ASKED TO REPLACE 2 TOILETS IN THE HOME OF A SINGLE WOMAN IN HUDSON. SHE ALSO SUFFERS PHYSICAL DIFFICULTIES. ONE OF THE TOILETS HAD BEEN LEAKING INTO THE DOWNSTAIRS KITCHEN LIGHT FIXTURE, AND HAD BEEN SHUT OFF, UNUSABLE, 5 YEARS PRIOR. THE LIGHT FIXTURE NO LONGER WORKED EITHER. THE MAIN FLOOR TOILET WAS LOW SEATING AND LEAKING, AND HOMEOWNER WAS HOPING FOR AN ADA COMPLIANT UNIT. THE SUBFLOOR SURROUNDING THE TOILET UPSTAIRS SUFFERED SIGNIFICANT ROT, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. EACH OF THE MINISTRY PROJECTS COMPLETED ALSO BROUGHT TIME TO SHARE GODS WORD AND PRAYER FOR THE RECIPIENT. OUR MINISTRY APPEARS TO SERVE A MUCH NEEDED, AND APPRECIATED, NICHE IN THE ST. CROIX VALLEY. IT IS OUR HOPE TO ESTABLISH MORE SITES, SIMILAR TO OURS, IN THE FUTURE.