The Struggle Continues – La Lucha Continúa – Below please see our collection of Newspaper archives depicting Sandra Ramos, a true pioneer in the domestic violence movement from 1977-current. Read about how one of the first domestic violence shelters was established in Bergen County NJ and what the current challenges the Passaic County SOS shelter faces today.

 HEADLINE:

County to fund wives shelter – Bergen Record – 1977

Battered wives ordered out – Bergen Record -4-10-1977

Battered wives face court battle – Bergen Record -1977

Battered wives lose 2nd court fight – Bergen Record -4-22-1977

Women’s Shelter DefiesCourt – Bergen Record -4-26-1977

Council ejects shelter head – Bergen Record -1977

Major is firm: battered wives room elsewhere – Bergen Record -7-13-1977

Court decides shelter dispute – Bergen Record -1-12-1978

Bergen funds wives shelter– The Record-1978

Battered Women Finding Refuge – The Record -6-15-1979

Wives group wins variance for shelter – The Bergen Record -1979

Some PeopleAre Just Born Caring – Lifesigns/79 -1979

Shelter Our Sisters: a home of their own – The Record -1979

Battered-wife group gains in bid for funds – The Record –12/1982

Wanted: one more ‘feminary’ – The Record –3-1- 1983

For battered wives, a safe place to stay– The Record-2-23-1985

She cares enough to save her sisters – The Record -11-1-1985

Head of shelter for women says she won’t resign – Bergen Record -1985

Shelter Director asked to resign – The Bergen Record -1985

SOS chairman looks to outside mediator – The Bergen Record -3-2-1986

SOS termination charges v. Ramos bared -7-2-1986

Ramos fights to keep unemployment benefits – The Bergen Record -1986

Shelter head’s status still being debated– The Bergen Record -8-6-1986

Myerson to take over as SOS director– The Bergen Record -9-25-1986

SOS bars visit by state coalition – The Bergen Record -2-4-1987

Shelter is cleared by probe – The Bergen Record -3-24-1987

Court is asked to dismiss suit – Bergen Record -4-7-1987

Firing of shelter’s founder upheld – The Bergen Record-8-17-1990

SOS helps mother in distress – Herald News -10-19-1988

Wanaque Women’s group tackles age-old problem – Suburban Trends -1990

Ramos helps women help themselves – Herald News -8-24-1990

PassaicCounty Options – Greenwood Lake News-2-10-1991

Women’sshelter gets council Okay – West Milford Argus -2-13-1991

Women’s shelter zone change approved by 3-2 vote– West Milford News 6-23-1991

Women have new place to turn – Greenwood Lake and West Milford News -7-1991

SOS, More than a Shelter – The Messenger -9-1991

Spirit though Service at SOS Passaic – The Messenger-11-13-1991

Peace in Our Homes– West Milford News- 1991

Planning Board discusses V/C zone change request – West Milford News -1991

Domestic abuse situations create need for shelter help at holidays- Local News -1992

SOS shelter a haven for violence victims – West Milford News-1992

Second coming’ keeps shelter director going – The Bergen Record -1992

Sandy Ramos is Nifty at Fifty – The Record -1992

When danger is near- The Bergen Record -1992

Protestors brave weather to fight domestic violence- West Milford News-11-18-1992

Memorial – West Milford News-1992

A march against violence – The Record -1993

Seven months later, a murder – The Record -11-21-1993

Struggling against domestic violence – West Milford News -1996

Battered women’s groups applaud high court decision– The Record -10-13-1996

Still standing by the battered – The Record -1997

SOS gets grant for thrift shop – Suburban Trends-1999

Suburban shelter finds a car is the key– The Record -1999

Profit with honor – The Record -1999

Miracles Hair Design Opens in Wanaque- The Independent News-1-30-2000

SOS in need of automobiles, mentors- Suburban Trends -2000

West Milford shelter seeking donations – West Milford News -2000

Battered Women Give Thanks for Shelter Aid– Herald News-5-27-2001

Honor For Women’s Rights Crusader – The Record -8-18-2003

I am a goddess.. – The Bergen Record -2004

Stormy time for shelter – Suburban Trends- 2004

West Milford threatens to shut down home – Suburban Trends- 6-2004

SOS sends out distress signal over violations- The Record -8-1-2004

SOS hit with $500K in fines – Suburban Trends -2004

Shelter network awaits decisions on building fines– North Jersey News-9-26-2004

Reprieve for battered women’s shelter granted– Suburban Trends-1-11-2006

SOS nabs $200,000 federal housing grant- Suburban Trends-2006

Local woman’s shelter at odds with DYFS over teenage moms- Suburban Trends-2006

State forces teen mothers to move from shelter – The Bergen Record -10-22-2006

Lack of COs threatens to KO shelter– Suburban Trends-5-10-2008

Mothers: Protest separation from kids – North Jersey News-2008

Women’s shelter seeks stiffer penaltiesfor spousal abusers– Suburban Trends-2008

Mother’s Day deepens pain for women cut off from kids- The Record -5-28-2008

Woman’s shelter appeals to school district to provide bus to daycare-Suburban Trends-2008

Busing issue creates feud – The West Milford Messenger -2008

SOS appeals ruling to preserve its bus route– Suburban Trends-2008

Passaic’s purple powerhouse: a voice for battered women– North Jersey News -2008

Women seek justice– North Jersey News -2008

Women seek justice – North Jersey News -2008

Rally cities legal plight of those who are battered – The Record-5-9-2009

Women rally for rights– The Record -5-10-2009

A born crusader, Sandra Ramos has spent her adult life fighting to make sure battered women have the support and services they need. by Elizabeth Llorente, AARP VIVA, October 2009

Motherhood March – The New Jersey Herald News -5-12-2010

Passaic County womens shelter struggles to cope with financial hit – Suburban News 7-15-2010

Star Power turned on in Ringwood .. – Suburban Trends8-21-2010

Strengthen Our Sisters continues with fund raisers to combat a $450,000 state aid cut– Suburban Trends 10-27-

Celebrities rally around financially strapped women’s shelter – Surburan Trends 10-2010

Rights for Mothers – http://rightsformothers.com/2011/01/12/strengthening-her-sisters/– 1-12–2011

West Milford-based SOS states baby carriage march – 5-17-2012

Strengthen Our Sisters sends out its own SOS – May 2016

SOS views fine as a thrift store threat – 2016

https://nypost.com/video/the-purple-lady-lives-in-a-purple-hut-in-the-woods-of-new-jersey/ Dec 13, 2018

I don’t believe in miracles, i depend on them”, NJ shelter for women fights to stay open David M. Zimmer NorthJersey.com- Feb 2021

Women’s shelter in NJ needs help keeping the lights on- Feb 7,2021 by Toni Yates