We can not wait until our Restoring Hope Gala because we have an amazing lineup of speakers. Click the photos below to read about each of our special guests. Get your tickets at restoringhopegala.com so you can join in on the fun!
With the purchase of 73 acres we are now positioned to move forward with plans to build a one-of-a-kind minor Restoration Home.
Given that there are fewer than 700 beds nationwide, and fewer than 25 beds proposed for Alabama in the next 2 years, we are stepping up to serve 9 child survivors in our Home, with the ability to expand that number with the construction of additional Therapeutic Foster Care Cottages.
As a child begins to be restored, they will be moved into ongoing Therapeutic Foster Care, with access to Transitional Living Services, while always being able to take advantage of Blanket Fort Hope’s resources.
Construction is set to begin 2023 and is projected to cost around $1.2 million to fund the facility and first year staffing. Restoration costs for each child is estimated to be around $4,000 per month. Blanket Fort Hope is prayerfully entering into a season of fundraising, trusting that God and our community will compassionately respond to this urgent need.
“Children are the most common victims of human trafficking. Crisis centers are needed to provide hands-on, face to face help to those who are the most vulnerable in our state. This underserved group of victims desperately needs this help in Alabama.”
— Cam Ward (R), Alabama State Senator.
Now is the time for our Champions to be extra diligent. While we are incredibly grateful for God and his providence for bringing us here, we realize that there is so much more we have to do.
We have spent the last 5 years building key relationships in the non-profit, private, and public sectors. With support of partners like The Church at Brook Hills, Grace Klein Communities, Shelby County DHR, Big Oak Ranch, Southeastern Construction, Mills Pharmacy, and Shelby Pediatric Dentistry, and so many more, we have guaranteed that our mission is sustained through sound wisdom, keen insight, and heartfelt compassion for children.
But we also need supporters like you. Individuals who God is calling to help move us forward.
We will see this home built and every child restored!
Our land offer has been accepted! We are officially raising funds to build our restorative therapeutic center for child survivors! Donate today to help Build the Fort.
Not a full month into 2021 and God is already doing great work! We are excited to announce we have made an offer on a beautiful 73 acre piece of property in Shelby County, Alabama! Partially developed with existing baseball fields that will continue to be leased to a nearby Christian school, and the rest ripe for development, we know this is the land God is calling us to!
We are praising God for this special opportunity to develop and build Alabama’s first home to provide dedicated therapeutic assistance to child victims of trafficking. “Fort Hope Ranch” will serve these precious children by providing them with stability, love, therapy, education, freedom, while exposing them to the Gospel truths of Jesus Christ.
For partnerships and sponsorship opportunities, please contact alexa@blanketforthope.org.
If you would like to make a contribution to our Investing In Hope capital campaign to help build Alabama’s first crisis and therapeutic center for child victims of human trafficking, please consider a one-time or recurring donation directly to our housing fund.
In November of this year, Blanket Fort Hope gave a presentation at a local elementary school in Birmingham, Alabama. Our mission for this event was to deliver knowledge and awareness to school aged children, in the hopes that it would prevent future trafficking abuse. Over the course of 3 days, we gave several 30 minute introductory sessions into the nature of human trafficking, who it effects, and what the children could do to protect themselves and those around them.
Reaching these children would have been sufficient to define this event as a success. But little did we know that we would have two children reach out to us with their own stories of being involved in trafficking situations. (We were able to verify the validity of these stories and caretakers were already aware of these situations.) Below is the letter given to us by one of these victims that highlights the real impact and cost of child trafficking. It is a stark reminder of how vulnerable even children from affluent neighborhoods are, and that this evil respects no age, gender, or socio economic barriers.
3 Quick Stories & Some Advice to My Peers
Anonymous Student at affluent, over the mountain Birmingham School
So, this is not a question, more of a sharing moment and a bit of advice.
1) Last summer, I was 14, and this 18 year old male that I knew personally threatened me for pornography and proceeded to touch & grope me while at work. he then share them [the pictures] with all his friends, even the ones that worked with us. I was afraid and unaware of what to do. Soon, word go around and my dad found out. I had to do a police report and there was an investigation. Turns out, the guy had been doing it to tons of young girls my age over social media. He’s now in jail.
2) I was online and this guy also threatened my (sic) for pornography, and then used the pictures to manipulate me and he told me I had to be his slave & his slut. he made me address him as “sir”. Eventually I reported him on the app and blocked him.
3) Yet again, I was threatened for pornography. The guy then proceeded to edit the pictures with words like “slut” & “whore”. he posted them on many different porn sites. I screenshot the texts, then changed my mind about telling someone because I was too scared. My mom found the screenshots.
These three situations are 100% true. I told myself that I would never be pressured. I’d never send pornography, I’d never cut, I’d never drink. but I did all of them. It’s different when you’re in the actual situation yourself. I felt like I couldn’t be around anyone because I was so ashamed of myself for a very long time. I thought I was a disgrace and didn’t deserve to live. I ran away from home and was gone for 4 hours. Eventually the sheriff found me. I was terrified. I was broken, and I hurt myself a lot. Slowly throughout the past two years I’ve been working on improving my self-esteem, I’ve been more happy and a kinder person. I was also put in a mental hospital for this stuff back in February.
So, don’t be mad or upset with your parents if you catch them going through your phone! They are just trying to protect you. I wish I had listened to them and had realized all this sooner.
Even though you don’t know who wrote this, I am always here if you need to talk.
I love you guys.
If you would like to schedule a training for your group or school, please contact alexa@blanketforthope.org.
If you would like to make a end of the year give to our Investing In Hope capital campaign to help build Alabama’s first and only crisis and therapeutic center for child victims of human trafficking, please consider a one-time or recurring donation directly to our housing fund.
Happy Holidays, Friends!
We’ve finally made it through 2020! And while the threat of COVID-19 still looms over 2021, by the grace of our Lord we have come through 2020 on the bright side and in a position of growth. We have big plans for next year and our mission can’t go forward without your generosity.
Our Mission Looking Forward
As in years past, our mission for 2021 remains the same. We are still planning on building Alabama’s first crisis and therapeutic center for child victims of human trafficking. This is our core mission and it will be unchanging until the Lord moves us into the field of caring for these children. At that time, our mission will be to bring joy to children who so desperately need it, while at the same time being sure they hear and have access to the Word of God and the message of Jesus Christ.
We have been very active in our online advocacy this year. We brought on four volunteer professionals in marketing, advertising, web development, and project management. They have helped to rebuild our branding strategy, manage our social media presence, organize our task workload, and complete our brand new website. With all of these advances in administration, we now have the ability to centralize our regular updates and resources, and focus on telling stories from our mission in an attractive way that generates more interest. Our hope and prayer is that this renewed interest in our mission will expand our donor base and see our mission come through successfully.
Consider Setting Up A One-Time or Recurring Donation Today
Future Plans
We made great strides and God opened and shut many doors over the course of 2020. We remain hopeful that our prayers for acceptable land and facility funds will come to us.
We looked at several properties over the course of 2020, none of which panned out. But going forward in 2021, we have our eyes set on the Shelby County area, where our main offices are located. We feel called to this area and trust that the Lord will bring us land and hope for the children.
That hasn’t stopped us from building out concrete plans for administration and a full 9-step onboarding process for the children. We have worked closely with DHR and other industry professionals to ensure our programs, as well as our training and staffing practices, are up to par. Through this successful and positive relationship with Alabama DHR, we are confident future children will be well served.
Training Expansions
Our training sessions in our community have been an overwhelming success this year. All in all, we served over 2,500 people at 16 different venues.
In 2020, we were able to reach Probate Judges, teachers, students, government employees, DHR professionals, healthcare professionals, Chambers of commerce, church congregations and small groups, as well as many various individuals through zoom meetings across the state.
We also spoke about the truth of human trafficking on the Behind the Mike Podcast and Breitbart Radio, which allowed us to expand our voice to markets outside of Alabama.
We hope to see this trend in expanding our voice continue into 2021!
Financial Growth
This year saw the biggest growth yet for our organization in all areas including in our Investing in Hope campaign for property and housing, training, advocating, staff, events, our board and operations.
Goals For The Future
Blanket Fort Hope exists to bring these children home, please join us in 2021 to fulfill the mission that God has laid before us all. Thank you for your prayers, generosity and support in 2020. I look forward to breaking ground with you all in 2021.
Love, Alexa James, CEO, Blanket Fort Hope
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
![[UPDATE] An offer is accepted on land in Shelby Co, Alabama!](https://blanketforthope.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/PostUpdate.jpg)
