Blanket Fort Hope

A huge thank you to Oak Mountain State Park for hosting our Hold the Fort race for the past five years! We’re so grateful for your steadfast support in making this event possible year after year. It’s because of your partnership that we’re able to continue our mission of restoring hope for these children.

Thank you, Oak Mountain State Park, for standing with us on this journey. Together, we're building a stronger, safer community. 💙

Don't forget to sign up for the race at www.holdthefortraces.com!

📢 SPONSOR SHOUTOUT 📢

The Hold the Fort race isn't possible without the generous support of our amazing sponsors like Mills Pharmacy! For 6 years now, Mills Pharmacy has helped us out from the beginning planning phases to race day.

On behalf of the children we serve—thank you for standing with us. Together, we're building a stronger, safer community. 💙

There is still time to sign up – just visit www.holdthefortraces.com.

There's still time to sign up for the Hold the Fort 5K, 10K or 1 Mile Warrior Walk! Proceeds from the race this year are dedicated to raising $250,000 to finalize construction of our Restoration Home – a home needed to care for children rescued from human trafficking.

The races are being held at Oak Mountain State Park on Saturday, November 16th, 2024 starting at 8 am. We hope you can join us. Visit www.holdthefortraces.com to sign up or donate today!
Check-in starts at 7 am.

We love being part of the Columbiana community, and our team had a great time at Monsters on Main last night! It was so fun seeing all of the kids and their amazing costumes.
City of Columbiana

Human trafficking is modern-day slavery and one of the fastest-growing criminal industries worldwide, affecting millions every year—even in our own communities. Even more shocking...the average age of a child exploited in trafficking is just 12!

Let's stand together to raise awareness and fight against this devastating crime.

Thanks to these men from Morningstar Methodist Church for building a lean-to for our golf cart! Morningstar Methodist Church Chelsea

It's happening right here in our community, but another child is now safe. As Sheriff John Samaniego said, “This is one of the most egregious crimes our agency has investigated in some time.”

We’re thankful for the tip to DHR and for Owens House in protecting this child. We deeply appreciate our partnerships with the Shelby County Sheriff's Office and DHR for their dedication to keeping our families and children safe.

We're so thankful for the opportunity to share the mission of Blanket Fort Hope with the members of Briarwood Presbyterian Church, PCA during their “For the Sake of the Name" National Ministries Conference!

🚨 Another devastating human trafficking bust— over 150 arrested, including a Disney employee. The youngest victim? Just 15 years old. 🚨

This is more than a headline; it’s a tragedy. Human trafficking isn’t just about exploitation; it’s about the horrific trauma inflicted when a person, especially a minor, is treated as a commodity to be bought and sold. 💔 The trauma of being sold strips away innocence and leaves deep scars that last a lifetime. These victims deserve our attention, our voices, and our relentless pursuit of justice. The youngest survivor in this case is just 15! Think about that...a child.

We must continue to fight for stronger protections for vulnerable children and ensure those responsible face the full weight of the law.

Disney employee among 157 nabbed in Polk County human trafficking bust: Grady Judd More than 150 people, including a Disney employee and 25 illegal immigrants, have been arrested in an undercover human trafficking sweep in Polk County that also led to the rescue of four potential human trafficking victims.

Are you a professional looking to expand your knowledge and make a real impact in the fight against human trafficking? Join one of our specialized trainings and earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) while learning how to protect child survivors. You’ll gain valuable insights into trauma-informed care, victim identification, and much more.

💻 Register today at https://blanketforthope.org/responding-to-child-s*x-trafficking-training!

Catch a behind-the-scenes look at today’s video shoot with Alexa and Kim as they talk about Blanket Fort Hope, our Child Placement Agency license, and future plans for the Restoration Home. We can’t wait to share it!

Human trafficking is surrounded by myths that keep people from understanding the true nature of this crime. Let’s debunk one of the biggest misconceptions about trafficking.

👉 Myth: Human trafficking is always a violent crime or involves kidnapping.

In reality, many victims are not kidnapped. They are trafficked by people they trust – family members, romantic partners or employers – and it often happens without the need for physical restraint. Traffickers may even convince victims that they are complicit or willing participants.

We are honored to be a part of a panel to share what we do and how these up and coming nurses will know how to identify child s*x trafficking victims.
Kim Mashego Alexa Likis James

Please join me in welcoming our Social Work Supervisor to our BFH Team!

Laura Johnson is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) with a heartfelt dedication to combating human trafficking and supporting vulnerable populations.

Holding a Bachelor's in Social Work from the University of Alabama at Birmingham and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Alabama, Laura has devoted her career to child welfare, focusing on foster care and adoption.

In addition to child welfare, Laura’s experience includes hospital pediatrics, child and adolescent disabilities, complex medical care, and oncology. Laura brings a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by children and families in crisis.

A lifelong resident of Alabama, Laura is a proud Alabama fan (Roll Tide!) and cherishes her time with her husband and family. Together, they are active members of The Church at Old Town in Helena, where they nurture their faith and community ties. As the Social Work Supervisor of Blanket Fort Hope, Laura combines her passion for the hurting with her clinical expertise, creating a safe haven for survivors of human trafficking and fostering hope, healing, and empowerment.

Please join us in welcoming Hallie Brown to our team of social workers here at Blanket Fort Hope! Hallie was born and raised here in Columbiana. She absolutely loves her community, family and friends that she has here!

She received both her bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of North Alabama. She started her career off at the Department of Human Resources here in Shelby County in the Adult Protective Services program. Then, she transitioned to the Office of the Public Defender where she served on the drug court team.

She is so excited to be a part of Blanket Fort Hope. She is ready to serve and be the best social worker she can be. Also, Hallie is a loving dog mom to her girls Onyx and Zuri.

This is one reason why individualized therapy will be so important for the children of Blanket Fort Hope. It's also why we will always consider them family, even after their restoration is complete! This is a lifelong commitment for us and we are thankful to have the honor of serving His children!

Do you own or work for a small business who is looking for a GREAT way to build local awareness for your business?

LOOK NO FURTHER!

Become a sponsor as low as $500 and receive your company name on ALL runner shirts as a "thank you" from us, and also write it off on your taxes through our 501c3!

Together, we can restore hope in the lives of child survivors of s*x trafficking here in Alabama!

We are currently working on creating Amazon Wish Lists for those who are interested in furnishing/ filling our restoration home room-by-room! We can't wait to share them with you. 😍

First Baptist of Columbiana, Church of the Highlands, some amazing volunteers, and some employees have been CRUSHING it (literally) on site these past couple of weeks! We are working on demolishing some structures, clearing some ground, and getting ready to build new and exciting things on the property!

Thank you to EVERYONE who has been working so hard to ! We will have more serve days scheduled soon, so let us know if you want in on the action!

Join us in welcoming TRUMAN as the newest staff member to Blanket Fort Hope! He will be in our office ready to welcome you on your next visit! He is an Aussi Mountain Doodle and was generously donated to us by one of our wonderful volunteers!! 💙

Shingles, duct work, and sprinkler systems, oh my!
We are less than $300,000 away from completion and we are starting to pick out colors, tile, flooring, paint, and finalizing smaller details.

We'd love for you to come see it, pray over it, through it, and all around it! Lots of serve days are happening (Pics to come soon) and many new things are in the works!

Watch closely for exciting news! Each day is getting better and better as God leads HIS people to us!

We've been training local law enforcement, medical staff, and local schools around town lately! Our Human Trafficking course comes with 3 CEUs for those of you that may need them and a whole lot of useful information for those who don't need CEUs.
We're able to train you, your co-workers, your neighborhoods, and church staff on how to recognize human trafficking in America and what you should do if you suspect it. Contact us today to learn more and get on our training calendar- feel free to share!

We are so excited to have Kim Mashego joining the Blanket Fort Hope team as our Executive Director over Programs!

Kim is a life long resident of Alabama. She and her husband are the proud parents of three beautiful children.

Kim is a licensed independent clinical social work-supervisor. She holds a bachelors degree in social work from the University of Montevallo and a masters degree in social work for the University of Alabama with a concentration in service to children, youth and families. Kim is a recipient of the University of Alabama’s School of Social Work 25 Year Alumni Award.

Kim is also a field instructor for several colleges and universities providing field internships to social work and related degree students. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Biblical Leadership.

Kim is a retiree of the Alabama Department of Human Resources where she was privileged to serve in direct service and leadership roles to restore families to safety and self-sufficiency and work closely with various community partners.

Kim enjoys teaching Sunday school at her local church. She is honored to serve Christ through her work with Blanket Fort Hope.

Please help us give Kim a warm welcome to the Blanket Fort Hope Family!

ZOINKS!

It’s our last day sharing an office with Southeastern Construction Partners LLC!

We are so thankful we’ve gotten to spend all these years with Southeastern Construction, we are so sad to leave, but so excited to start this new journey out on our property!

Starting tomorrow all mail needs to be sent to Post Office Box 212, Columbiana AL 35051!

Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. - Psalm 37:4