Historic Southside Prayer Drive

For over 25 years, Fortress (first the church and later the nonprofit) has proudly called Historic Southside home, and in the spirit of Jeremiah 29:7, we work hard for the welfare of our community and “pray to the Lord on its behalf.” We invite others to do so as well through neighborhood Prayer Drives that not only lift up needs in Historic Southside, but also provide a powerful learning experience.

Naturally, Prayer Drives begin at Fortress, and our campus boasts a rich history of its own! In 1929, Our Mother of Mercy Catholic School was established on this site as a school for Black students when public schools were legally segregated. Also, our big playground was the home site of the legendary Black educator, Hazel Harvey Peace. 
From here, participants board Fortress buses and visit IM Terrell Academy, “Old Fortress,” Van Zandt-Guinn Elementary School, Evans Plaza, and Hillside Park before returning to campus. At each stop - and en route in between -  groups explore Historic Southside’s rich Black and Hispanic culture and history, including topics like the lasting impact of slavery and reconstruction, racial segregation, notable Black and Hispanic leaders, the impact of Interstate Highway 35, opportunities for revitalization, and more.

Prayer is at the heart of these drives, and as groups learn of the unique needs and challenges facing our neighbors, they spend time in prayer at each stop along the route. Prayer topics include:

• That hearts will be open to learn as we explore the history of our community.

• That we will see how history affects us and the kids we serve today.

• That barriers facing children in poverty and children of color will continue to fall.

• That God’s church would reflect His heart for all people.

• That our neighborhood would have opportunities for economic revitalization without harm to current residents through the effects of gentrification.

Perhaps a group from your church would like to join a Prayer Drive? Or maybe you could assemble a group of family members, like minded neighbors, coworkers, or an organization to which you belong? Contact Fortress Community Relations Coordinator Remy Bucknor today, and let us schedule a Prayer Drive for YOU!

2022 Fortress staff at the Hillside Park location

Faces of Fortress: Cahill Hooker

Fortress has never set out to find its Volunteer of the Year intentionally. Historically, when it’s time to name and honor our most outstanding volunteer, there’s never a question about who it should be. There has always been that one person who just obviously WAS. This year’s honoree was no different.

Fortress found Cahill Hooker through board member Ronnie Rohde, who, while trying to sell his company a water system, discovered that Cahill was an RCAT-licensed roofer. As it happened, Ronnie loves to talk and Cahill loves to talk, and while he didn’t buy her water system that day, she did manage to hook him into taking a peek at our failing roof.

In those days, our roof was only one issue with our creaky, drafty, falling-down-around-our-ears building. Cahill helped us patch up the roof, and then he set to tackling other items - an area of floorboards that had rotted with age. A door that wouldn’t close properly. A wooden deck that needed attention. And so on and so on and so on. Before long, Cahill (and his dad Charlie, who sometimes came along to provide know-how and can-do) knew and loved our quirky, historic, beloved building as much as we did.

When we had the opportunity to consider purchasing our new campus in 2020, Cahill was the second person we called, after our trusted realtor and then-board member, Tamera Saling-Starke. He gave the whole thing a thorough once-over and said, “Pray for hail. This thing has a roof barely better than the one you have now.”

On moving day, he showed up with 8 of his roofing buddies and their trailers, and they all acted as though there was not a single thing they’d rather be doing on a Saturday in December. Together, they moved an entire building full of desks and toys and supplies and appliances from old Fortress to our new facility. Cahill orchestrated the whole thing with finesse, as if he’d done it a hundred times before, his big voice only overpowered by his bigger laugh. Joy personified - that’s Cahill.

“We don’t have showers,” I said one afternoon while Cahill was on site to fix some random issue. “And we need them in time for next summer’s visiting mission groups. Do you have any recommendations for who I should call?” Next thing I knew, Cahill was general contracting the whole project, pro bono. The 6-week project took closer to 6 months thanks to supply chain issues, labor shortages, etc. The cost kept climbing, too. Cahill’s business partner wondered what their company was getting out of all the time he was spending on Fortress’s little project. I knew the answer - nothing.

So when the day came to choose 2022’s Volunteer of the Year, it was obvious. I called Cahill to my office and asked if he’d allow us to honor him publicly at this year’s StoryLand. His eyes filled with tears. I was stunned that it meant that much to him. “I’d never thought of myself as doing all that much,” he says now. “And I didn’t know it was a contest! The little things I do for you guys, they’re just small things. They don’t take that much time. They’re pretty simple. But when you started listing them off, I thought, ‘Wow. Yeah, I guess it does add up’.” 

Cahill hopes other potential volunteers realize the same thing - that it doesn’t take much to make a huge difference for Fortress. “Honestly, I see you guys doing your thing up here and I think that the little tasks I do are pretty meaningless in comparison. Come on, we all know that this is your job, but we also know you’re not making all that much. You’re certainly not doing this for the money. And I just love that I get to be a part of it. My favorite thing is that the kids all recognize me now. I mean, I love that.”

“There’s so much awfulness in the world right now. You can turn on your phone and all you see is awfulness. In this world of thoughts and prayers, what can we do? What can you do, right now, right here, today, for someone else, to make things better? How can we turn ourselves around right now, in Fort Worth, Texas, and do something good? I don’t think I’ve found a better place to do that than Fortress. And I’m so honored.”

Cahill and his wife Trina own Worthy Outdoors, specializing in high-end outdoor kitchens and living spaces. He still maintains his roofing license, can grill a mean steak, and has found his greatest joy and talent is being a girl dad to Janie and Charlie.