Sanctuary for Families

Volunteer Opportunities: Yes

History

Our first office housed five employees at a church parish house in midtown Manhattan. By 1985, we were providing shelter to 35 women and children each night, and operating a daycare program. Guided by the needs of the survivors we serve, in the years that followed we launched the Legal Center, programming for children, and the Sarah Burke House Transitional Shelter. We also expanded our mission to meet the needs of survivors of sex trafficking, female genital mutilation, and related forms of gender violence. Today, Sanctuary for Families employs nearly 200 lawyers, clinicians and support staff, and operates out of 19 locations throughout New York City. Together, we make a difference for over 10,000 adults and children every year, and tirelessly advocate for an end to gender violence.

Mission

We believe that freedom from gender violence is a basic human right.