After a 10-year-long journey, the founder and CEO of Blanket Fort Hope, Alexa James, is now seeing a vision and calling come to fruition: providing a safe haven and restoration to victims of child sex trafficking. The seeds of that vision first sprouted in James' heart after working with a young sex trafficking victim in 2011 during a mission outreach while enrolled in Highlands College.
The blight of child sex trafficking on society here in the United States has only increased in numbers in the past decade, since James had that interaction on a mission trip. This crime has only further devastated society, families and young lives here in Alabama. Those, like James, who have witnessed the horrendous exploitation of young victims have been taking action from every angle imaginable to rescue the victims, catch the perpetrators, and provide safe refuge for those traumatized by the criminal activity.
This past November, Blanket Fort Hope moved forward with the next step in their program, which is to create four walls and a roof that offers nothing but safety, love, and restoration for the remainder of a child's life who has had their innocence stolen through sexual exploitation and trauma.
A newly built home is now nestled in the pines on acres of beautiful forest land in Shelby County. This gorgeous facility, set in a clearing in the woods, is concrete evidence to James that the dream she was given came from God and was ultimately fulfilled by Him to minister to his children. Many people in the state of Alabama listened to God and helped James and her team throughout this massive undertaking. The front doors to that home have been installed and are ready to be swung open for its very first child. At the ribbon-cutting ceremony held this November, James stood on the front steps of the new home, calling it a "modern-day miracle."
"The journey has not been easy over the past 10 years," he said. "We walked through seasons that have stretched us, tested us, and brought us to our knees many times. This home is more than brick and mortar- it is a refuge. It is a place for children that have endured the unthinkable trauma to finally find safety and hope and healing. Every wall and every room has been prayed over and built with love. Our board chairman placed a Bible in the cornerstone of this home. Every piece of wood and pouring has been covered in scripture. Our builders started this tradition. I would walk in and find scriptures written all over the structure.We believe that what God builds no man can tear down."
Hall Hobbs is the general contractor who built the Blanket Fort Hope facility. He was at the open house with his construction team. Hobbs and his workers started the tradition of writing scripture on the various building elements used for the project.
Shelby County Sheriff John Samaniego was also part of the ribbon-cutting, telling the crowds gathered around the home that providing refuge for these victims is vitally important for the county and the state as a whole.
"This is the culmination of a lot of work, almost 10 years of work," he outlined. "Alexa and I started off together, she came to me for help in this. A lot of letters and phone calls have been made. Thank God we were able to put this house here. The victims are what it is really all about. We need to serve the victims. Shelby county has a plethora of different programs for child advocacy, this is one of them that focuses on children who have been traumatized…a structured environment that is safe. That is the biggest thing."
This first-of-a-kind restorative home in Alabama will start with taking in female victims of sex trafficking ages 0 to 21, with plans to expand in the future to include young boys. The restorative effort will be comprehensive for those walking through the doors. Program director Kim Mashego has been working on that plan for two years since she joined the team at Blanket Fort Hope.
"Our mission is to serve children between the age of 0 to 21, to ensure that those who have been rescued from human trafficking are restored back to the purpose to which God has called them. We will be providing a safe shelter first and foremost. We will be teaching them about the love of Jesus Christ, providing them life skills, education, everything they will need to enter back into the community," she explained.
With the expectation of receiving their first child this January 2026, Blanket Fort Hope founder Alexa James is already looking to the future for expanding the safe refuge in Shelby County, so that no child, teen or young adult, male or female, that has been rescued from sex trafficking goes without love, hope, and restoration.
At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Alexa James made the mission statement of Blanket Fort Hope crystal clear, stating, "The foundation is Christ. The mission is hope. And the best is yet to come."
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