HomeMy WebLinkAboutRamos, Sandy
Aloha Chair Inaba and Members of the Hawaiʻi County Council,
Sometimes, the difference between someone giving up and someone turning their life
around is simply having someone believe in them when they no longer believe in themselves.
My name is Sandy Ramos, and I am the Director of Supportive Services with the Big Island
Substance Abuse Council (BISAC). I am writing in strong support of continuing the
Homelessness & Housing Fund, not only as a director who witnesses lives changing every day,
but as someone whose own life is proof of what can happen when people are given a second
chance.
Seven years ago, I walked through the doors of BISAC as someone searching for a better life. I
had been through several treatment programs before, but nothing seemed to stick. BISAC was
different. It wasn't just about getting sober or completing another program. It was a journey of
self-healing, self-discovery, and learning to believe in myself again. For years, I allowed my
criminal history to define what I believed I could accomplish. I carried feelings of shame and
discouragement, convincing myself that my past would always limit my future. I settled for jobs
I knew I could get rather than pursuing opportunities I knew I was capable of achieving. BISAC
helped me realize that my past was part of my story, but it did not have to determine how my
story ended.
I went from working restaurant jobs to becoming a store manager, and today, I proudly serve as
the Director of Supportive Services for the very organization that once helped me rebuild my
life. I didn't lack the ability to succeed. I lacked the belief that someone with my past deserved
the opportunity to succeed. BISAC helped me find that belief within myself, and that changed
everything. I never imagined that one day I would be able to help others find the same hope and
opportunity that was once given to me.
Today, I have the privilege of watching others transform their lives just as I did. I have
seen people enter our programs feeling hopeless and defeated, only to find confidence, purpose,
employment, and renewed relationships with their families. Some have come full circle and are
now helping others overcome the very same struggles they once faced. These are not just success
stories or statistics. These are real people, real families, and real lives being changed.
But how can we expect someone to focus on recovery when they don't know where they will
sleep tonight? How can we expect someone to build a future when they are struggling just to
survive today? Housing provides more than shelter. It provides the foundation for healing,
stability, independence, and hope. The Homelessness & Housing Fund helps create opportunities
for individuals to break cycles and discover that their circumstances do not determine their
potential.
I ask the Council to continue supporting the Homelessness & Housing Fund, because behind
every person struggling is a story that is still being written. Seven years ago, I was someone who
needed a second chance. I was ashamed of my past, uncertain of my future, and unaware of my
own potential. Today, I stand proudly as the Director of Supportive Services for the very
organization that helped me rebuild my life. I am not defined by my criminal history, my
mistakes, or where I started. I am defined by what I chose to become and the lives I now have the
privilege of helping change.
I ask you to remember that you are not simply deciding whether to continue funding a program.
You are deciding whether to continue creating opportunities for people like me, people who have
the potential to become so much more than their circumstances allow them to believe.
Seven years ago, Dr. Hannah saw potential in me that I could not see in myself. Today, I get to
see that same potential in others. I was once someone who needed these services. Today, I am
someone who helps provide them. And tomorrow, someone we help today could be standing
right here, sharing their own story of transformation.
My past could have been the end of my story. Instead, it became the beginning of my purpose.
Please continue giving others the opportunity to discover theirs.
Mahalo for your time, consideration, and continued commitment to the people of Hawaiʻi Island.
Sandy Ramos
Director of Supportive Services
Big Island Substance Abuse Council (BISAC)