Sandra Ramos, Founder of Strengthen Our Sisters

Every day, twice a day, Sandra Ramos hikes up a mountain trail near her home (a purple quonset hut nestled in the Ramapo Mountains of New Jersey) to meditate by a waterfall where she receives spiritual strength and guidance for her mission of over 30 years.

In 1970, when domestic violence still remained a private family affair and was hushed into non-existence, a forlorn woman came to Sandra's door fleeing her abuser. Sandra took her in and within a short period of time the number of battered women and children living in the home she shared with her own 3 children, grew to 22.

The building inspector also came after neighbors complained that they didn't want abused women and their kids living on the block. "You've already got them," Ramos answered. "They're in other homes on this street and I know that because many confided in me of their plight." Sandra was threatened with jail, but refused to throw the families out and for the next 6 years she marched, staged sit-ins, threatened legal action, and defied court orders in her efforts to protect women and children from their abusers.

A child of the sixties, Sandra often used theatrics to drive home the need. When the county freeholders denied financial assistance to battered women but voted to award $500,000 to build an animal shelter, she brought a battered woman with her dog to the next meeting. She asked if the new animal shelter would take the dog and also provide shelter for the woman and her children as there was no place for them to stay. She made her point and funds were awarded to open the first official battered women's shelter in North America.

Over the years, Ramos opened several safe houses in New Jersey, established The Family Transitional Institute, and tenaciously fought for legislation to protect victims and families from abuse.

While building her shelter programs, she completed her Master's Degree in Applied Urban Anthropology and taught classes on social issues at several colleges and universities. To raise awareness and educate people on domestic violence and the battered women's syndrome, she has spoken to many groups and organizations all over the country, and she has organized and conducted trainings for judges and police.

By 1985, however, she was also doing battle with her own board of directors. Uncommonly gentle with those in need, she was equally determined when she believed she was right. Some board members accused her of being stubborn, overprotective, and uncompromising. The way Sandra viewed it, the shelter was becoming bureaucratized and "boardified" under their direction. She claimed that the the program had lost its heart, had become rigid and cold, and wasn't meeting the needs of the women. It was grass-roots feminist against regimented professionals — earth mother against the establishment.

In 1986, the board prevailed and Sandra was fired from the shelter she had started.

After her children went off to college in 1986, Sandra moved to the country where she planned to retire, hike, swim, and write her book. But her pioneer reputation followed her and she continued to receive calls from battered women seeking help. Again, she took them in or found someone who would.

In 1987, Strengthen Our Sisters was organized and incorporated as a 501c3 non-profit to provide supportive shelter and assistance to women and children fleeing abuse in the rural part of the county. Initially a small apartment was rented, then a house. In 1990 she found a farmhouse in need of repair with a cottage and 10 motel units on 4.5 acres. She sought funding to buy and renovate it.

Two years later, responding to the need for child care so that women could participate in job training programs, she sought and received funding to purchase a licensed pre-school and day care center with attached residence a short distance from the main shelter. The residence is used to house young pregnant women participating in the Start Ahead program — created to foster healthy pregnancies and healthy babies.

In 1999, funds were acquired to purchase a former church building which houses the economic development program — thrift store, computer tech shop, car donation program, computer donation program and computer training classroom, job training program, and health store. Also in 1999, Strengthen Our Sisters purchased a large apartment building to provide shelter and programs for single women in transition. In this building and in a storefront next door are the hair salon business and used book store, all managed and operated by the residents of the transitional program.

Under the guidance and direction of Sandra Ramos, Strengthen Our Sisters now provides safe supportive shelter to 155 women and children. It is one of the largest shelters in the state of New Jersey and has received recognition for its model programs toward breaking the cycle of domestic violence and fostering self-sufficiency.

In 1998, Sandra was asked to develop a special course, "The Dynamics of Domestic Violence", which she has taught at Ramapo College since.

In March 1998 Sandra's profile was featured on NBC's "4 Stories" and she is the recipient of the following awards and recognition for her work:

Sandra is available for public speaking and lectures.

Speaking topics include, but are not limited to: The story of Strengthen Our Sisters, The Battered Woman's Syndrome, The Dynamics of Domestic Violence, The Debilitating Effects of Incest and Abuse on Women and Children, Power and Oppression in a Patriarchal Society.

Sandra is available as an expert witness in domestic violence cases.

email Sandra at info@sosdv.org

   Information You Need Now

   Programs and Services

   How You Can Help

 About Us