A warm, sunlit home framed by mature trees

A nonprofit residential initiative

Building enduring residential solutions for non-speaking adults with autism.

Project Fortis Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit that researches and shares best practices around supporting people with non-speaking autism and creates day and residential programs designed around the presumption of competence, communication access, and community.

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A simple premise

01 — Our belief

Individuals with high support needs deserve a full, enriching life — not a waiting list, not a warehouse, not a one-size program that was never built for them.

The reality today

A growing population of non-speaking autistic adults with high intellectual capacity has zero access to high-quality residential programming. They are hidden inside a category that was never built to see them.

What we’re building

A world-class shared-living model — small, well-staffed homes and world-class day programming built on the best evidence we have about communication, behavior, and dignity.

02 — Why this exists

Case Study: James.

James is seventeen — exceptionally smart, curious, and adventurous. He has non-speaking autism. He communicates by typing slowly with one finger and by touching letters on a laminated letterboard.

His body often doesn’t do what his mind wants it to. He tests in the 90th percentile on academic aptitude exams. He also requires 24/7 care for his health and safety. He is kind, funny, and wise. He loves running, biking, skiing, basketball, art history, and reading.

In three years, James will age out of the K-12 special education system. In ten years of searching, his family has not found a single program built for someone like him.

“Every recommendation ended the same way: the school won’t accept him, or the school won’t challenge him.”

03 — The case for change

A hidden population, falling through the cracks.

Autism is treated as a single, homogenous category. It isn’t. The DSM defines three levels of support need — but says nothing about intellectual capacity. A growing population of adults need very substantial support and have above-average intellect. The ecosystem was not designed for them.

20+

Programs visited across the country in a decade of searching.

Programs found that can meet the needs of an adult with a similar profile to James.

3 years

Until James ages out of the K-12 special education system. Countless other young adults are in the same situation.

“Autistic people with higher IQs are more likely overlooked and may be missing out on services that would benefit them.”— Spectrum research, 2023

04 — A vision of excellence

Nine commitments that define the home we’re building.

Drawn from a year of research with families, providers, and the few programs doing this work well. Each pillar is a non-negotiable.

A sunlit shared living room with plants, books and comfortable seating

Presumption of Competence

We begin by assuming intellect, agency, and a rich inner life — and design every interaction around it.

Communication Access

Residents communicate using the methods that work for them — letterboards, spelling, AAC — supported by trained practitioners.

High Behavior Support

A team prepared to meet complex behavior needs with skill, patience, and dignity — not exclusion.

Access to Enrichment

Academics, art, sport, nature, community. A real life, not a holding pattern.

Excellent Staff

Recruited, trained, and retained. The people are the program. Work at Fortis is deep, professional work not a low-wage stepping stone.

Long-term Stability

Built to outlast founders, funding cycles, and parents — a home for the next forty years, not the next four.

Strategic Investment

A capital plan that protects residents from market shocks and policy whiplash.

Equitable Access

Designed so a family's wealth doesn't determine a resident's quality of life.

Strategic Location

Sited for connection — to community, to nature, to the services residents rely on. The plan is for our first homes to be in New York state where we can access the best of the city (museums, Broadway, sports, concerts) with the best of the country (gardening, biking, hiking, skiing).

05 — Our roadmap

From research, to a home, to a model others can build.

01PHASE 1: 2026-2028
Research & Foundation
Visit programs, interview families and providers, define excellence. Build the founding team and governance.
02PHASE 2: 2027-2029
Training & Day Programming
Stand up communication and behavior training. Pilot day programming with a small founding cohort.
03PHASE 3: 2028-2030
Residential Launch
Acquire and prepare the first shared home. Welcome the founding residents into a fully supported life. Start small, build excellence, create replicable systems.
04PHASE 4: 2030-
Sustain & Scale
Refine the model, secure long-term funding, and scale to multiple houses and locations. Share what we learn so others can build, too.

06 — Governance

Our board.

The Fortis board consists of professionals experienced in building and scaling organizations and supporting the educational, emotional, and physical needs of young adults. The board also has several parents of young people with non-speaking autism.

Doug McCurry

President

Education Consultant, Former Education Non-Profit CMO

Aaron Alquist

Treasurer

Strategic Engagement Manager at Akamai Technologies

Sylvia Fogel

Secretary

Psychiatrist

Join us

Help us build the homes that should already exist.

We’re looking for partners, funders, providers, and families. If any part of this story is familiar — or if you can help move it forward — we’d like to hear from you.

Get in touch

Send us a note and we’ll share the full deck and current planning materials.

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