Fortitude

It was their shared background in construction and the desire to help at-risk youth that led friends Nicole Davis and Patti Bentley to found Fortitude, a Peninsula-based training program where participants learn the construction industry—and important life skills—while serving their communities and building affordable housing. “We give young adults a chance to create something, to feel that satisfaction and see a real future for themselves,” says Davis of the nonprofit’s dual focus on apprenticeship and counseling. “We fortify the whole person,” Bentley emphasizes. Currently the organization is planning four pop-up workshops on the Peninsula during 2022, continuing its quest to revitalize the building scene and uplift young people into fruitful careers.