Historical Overview
1993-1995 * Eighteen Hispanic women meet to discuss women’s issues, a strategic plan is developed and five main areas of service are identified.
* MUJER files as a charitable organization and obtains IRS tax exception.
1996 * First Executive Director is hired on August 1, 1996.
* The first grant is received from the Health Foundation of S Florida for $25,000 and National Council of La Raza for $10,000.
*Susan Reyna, Executive Director receives the Miami Herald’s “Spirit of Excellence Award” increasing MUJER visibility, through her work with community leaders and organizations.
1997 * July 1st MUJER open its door for service with a grant from the Department of Health for Rape and Sexual Violence prevention. (DOH
continues to fund our agency to this day)
* In August the 1st Annual Back to School Health Fair is held to begin discussing domestic violence with the community.
1998 *Major grant from the Governor’s Task Force helps launch the first domestic violence project in South Dade.
* A series of focus groups conducted by the University of Miami serve to develop most of MUJER’s programs.
* The first DV workshop is conducted for representatives of the County, the legal community and community organizations.
* Twenty-five agencies agree to collaborate and further MUJER’s mission and sign interagency agreements.
* Latina Magazine publishes an article on Susan J. Reyna and MUJER’s accomplishments-media exposure takes the agency to a National level.
1999 *Agency budget reaches half a million dollars.
2000 *A partnership with Global Health is established, providing an opportunity to expand health outreach services to the community as well as establishing an emergency fund for displaced victims.
2001 *MUJER partners with the Legal Aid Society, Journey Institute, Project SOS and the Women’s Shelter to develop a community based
One Stop Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Service Center, the only one of its kind in Miami-Dade County.
* With a grant from Levi Strauss MUJER expands its services to include community education for the prevention of HIV/ AIDS.
* The “Friends of MUJER” (a group of people who could help MUJER identify potential financial supporters) concept is introduced by the Board
of Director’s.
* With another Health Foundation of South Florida grant MUJER, starts developing a clinical infrastructure and hires its first licensed Clinical Director.
*Clinical protocols are developed.
2002 *”Friends of MUJER” develop a marketing strategy that includes a video, a website and an informational marketing package.
2003 *MUJER becomes fiscal agent for We Care of South Dade; a coalition of more of seventy-five (75) organizations.
* A three year grant from the Florida Department of Health funds HIV/AIDS prevention case management and increase community outreach.
* MUJER and the University of Miami conduct an evaluation on the effectiveness of the One Stop Center collaborative, with the help from the
John T. McDonald Foundation.
* A donation of $50,000 is received from Mathew Pierce, a representative from a legal firm in Chicago, to help establish a Building Fund.
*The demand of MUJER’s services prompts a 49% growth in staff.
*A client tracking program is created.
2004 *Susan Reyna, Executive Director receives the Robert Wood Johnson Health Leadership Award-in the amount of $100,000 to support
her continuous work in the community.
* The Sexual Violence Trust Fund to support Rape Crisis Centers (RCC) is created by legislature in Florida-MUJER initiates its certification
process as a RCC.
* The first Annual “Giving back to the Community” event is held in December by the “Friends of MUJER” and distributes $100,000.00 to local agencies.
2005 *Provisional certification as a RCC is received by the Florida Council Against Sexual Violence (FCASV).
* A Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) is developed in Miami-Dade County, with MUJER becoming the responding entity for the south.
* MUJER distributes more than $190,000 in disaster relief after Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma.
2006 *MUJER hires a Creole Victim Advocate and a Therapist-services are expanded to the Haitian community.
* Initial development of the Family Violence Service Providers Network (FVSPN) with funding from the Children’s Trust.
* The Legal Aid Society expands its legal services to include family law cases from the One Stop DV & SA Center.
* State Attorney’s Office, Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami-Dade County Police Department and MUJER sign agreement to launch first SART
in Dade County.
*MUJER plays integral role in immigration reform.
2007 * MUJER celebrates it’s 10th Year Anniversary.
2008 * MUJER and 10 local Agencies collaborate on establishing the “Family Violence Partnership Service Network”.
2009 * MUJER becomes one of two “Certified Rape Crisis Center” in Miami-Dade, Florida.
2010 * MUJER closes it’s services at it’s satellite office in “Everglades Farmworker Village” only keeping it open for community outreach and
education purposes.
* MUJER places an advocate at the South Dade Justice building to supplement domestic violence services previously provided by the
Domestic Violence Intake Unit. This unit closed due to funding shortages.
2011 *FVSPN participates in orgainizing South Miami-Dade’s participation in the “2nd Annual Laurens Walk” a 1000 mile sexual violence prevention journey from Key West – Panhandle – Tallahassee.