As October approaches, the Center for Hope & Safety (formerly known as Shelter Our Sisters) is preparing a series of community events across Bergen County to observe Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a milestone made even more significant as the organization celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Founded in 1976, the agency has expanded from a single emergency shelter into a comprehensive domestic violence resource. Today, it provides safe housing, legal advocacy, counseling, economic empowerment, and specialized therapeutic programs for children and families throughout Bergen County.
The milestone arrives amid staggering statistics underscoring the ongoing crisis. In New Jersey alone, more than 70,000 domestic violence incidents were reported in 2023. Furthermore, national data indicates that 61% of women and 45% of men experience some form of intimate partner violence in their lifetimes.
The scope of local need remains immense. In 2025, the Center for Hope & Safety:
- Served more than 1,500 individuals
- Answered over 5,000 calls via its free, confidential 24/7 hotline
- Provided residential housing support to nearly 200 adults and children through emergency shelters, transitional housing, and stabilization initiatives
“For 50 years, Center for Hope & Safety has been a place survivors and their families can turn to for safety, support and a path forward,” Kristine Pendy, CEO of the organization, said. “Domestic Violence Awareness Month provides an opportunity to bring our community together, honor survivors and remember those whose lives have been lost to domestic violence.”
Light up the night against domestic violence
To kick off the month’s programming, the Center will host its signature annual event:
- Date: Tuesday, October 6, 2026
- Time: 6:15 p.m.
- Location: Van Saun County Park (Near Parking Lot 4 / Pathway to Self-Sufficiency garden), 216 Forest Avenue, Paramus
- Admission: Free (Registration encouraged)
This outdoor candlelight vigil unites the community to honor victims, remember lives lost, and celebrate the resilience of survivors, who will share personal stories of healing and hope throughout the evening.
