BY ERIKA NORTON
WEST MILFORD — Nonprofit women’s shelter Strengthen Our Sisters walked away with a victory on Sept. 1 after two charges against the shelter’s Treasures Thrift Shop were dropped in West Milford Municipal Court. According to attorney for SOS Joel Bacher, the two dropped complaints were for failing to clean up accumulated debris outside the Lincoln Avenue store.
A third charge, which was related to property neglect, was reduced from a $6,000 fine down to a $100 fine, much to the relief of Sandra Ramos, the shelter’s founder and director. She attributed the victory to the shelter and thrift store’s many supporters, over 800 of which signed a petition to have the court waive the fine.
The judge also said that the thrift shop has to keep the area outside the store clean, which according to Bacher, they have been and intend to do so going forward.
A more permanent solution would be for the shelter to get a dumpster, which Ramos said they are hoping the town will donate to the thrift store since SOS is unable to afford one right now.
“I’m hoping that when people drop off stuff, they’ll have a place to put it,” Ramos said about the numerous donations people drop off to be sold at the thrift store.
The store, which has been open for 30 years, provides recycled furniture, clothing and household items to those who have lost everything, and in turn helps financially support the shelter. Since the store is a community service helping the families of homeless and battered women, Ramos is hoping the town will provide them with a dumpster.
The shelter, which is home to 155 women and children, is also currently battling the county for funding, which was discontinued earlier this year.
The county’s biggest reason for terminating their contract - $92,000 annually - is because the shelter, which consists of seven locations, two licensed day care centers and a thrift store, keeps people too long, according to Ramos.
“One of the big things is that they only want us to keep people for three months,” Ramos told The Messenger. “Most people can’t get help in three months.”
Strengthen Our Sisters had to lay off all of its staff and has kept the programs running with volunteers, she added.