On Thursday, May 16th the HOPE Program hosted its second annual A Taste of HOPE event, a celebration of tastings, toasts and transformations at Steelcase in Manhattan. Barrier Free Living’s HR/Organizational Development Team attended, joining a packed crowd at the stunning Steelcase venue overlooking Columbus Circle. Guests included the founder [...]

Prince Harry of Wales attended a recent Warrior Games exhibition volleyball match between the U.S. and U.K. Olympic gold medalists Misty May-Treanor, Missy Franklin and Paralympic medalists Kari Miller and Brad Snyder were in attendance to support the wounded athletes. From May 11-16, more than 200 wounded, ill and injured service members [...]

First featured on our website last October, Alex Minsky, the Marine Lance Cpl. who lost his leg when his truck rolled over an IED (improvised explosive device) in Afghanistan, has gone onto become a sought after model and inspiration for people with disabilities world wide. Click here to view the [...]

The United States Olympic Committee and Deloitte announced that the Warrior Games will be held in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 11-16, 2013. In addition to Deloitte, the presenting sponsor, the six-day event is also supported by the Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs, USO, Fisher House Foundation, AT&T, BP, [...]

Freedom House Emergency Shelter launched a vibrant new Adult Poetry Club.  The club allows residents to “express themselves through creative writing in order to promote positive mental health while sharing their creative writing with…

AWARE organized and hosted a Family Carnival at BFL’s Freedom House Emergency Shelter on April 13, bringing hope and laughter to survivors of domestic violence and their families.   The Carnival featured face-painting, glitter tattoos, a photo booth, basketball, live music, cotton-candy and an appearance by Elmo.  AWARE’S  Ellen L. [...]

The United to End Homelessness campaign launched Tuesday, April 9 (picture at top) at 1pm at the NY City Hall steps. New York City’s next Mayor and City Council will confront unprecedented levels of homelessness. By the end of 2012, more than 57,000 people, including more than 22,000 children, slept each night on [...]

Though Brilynn Rakes was diagnosed with nystagmus and cone dystrophy (which causes her eyes to shake), that did not stop her from pursuing a career in dance.  This week the inspiring young woman was featured on Dancing With The Stars as part of the AT&T Spotlight Series. View the Dancing [...]

The Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities kicked off its first Accessible Housing Symposium at John Jay College April 1. The symposium featured panel discussions on the topic of educating New Yorkers with Disabilities on accessible housing options.  The event concluded with an information fair and included participation from Barrier [...]

The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance is making available $3 million worth of free air-conditioners this year to low income individuals and families.  This would include supportive housing residents.  Individuals must apply at their local social services office.  Details on…

The BFL Speaker’s Bureau held its first gala Graduation March 27. Graduates shared empowering stories of healing (Video below) and their support of the Bureau’s mission to continue to educate around the topics of domestic violence and disability.  Founder Theresa McIntosh lead the celebration, which featured poetry and a visit from Victor [...]

A partnership between, The NYC Department of Education, NYC Parks, Wheelchair Sports Federation and Randall’s Island Sports Foundation, the Fourth Annual Paralympic Sport Club New York City Track and Field Open will be held June 3 at Icahn Stadium. All Athletes with Physical Disabilities are welcome: Competition will be divided [...]

Alan Govenar’s intimate new documentary “You Don’t Need Feet To Dance” reveals the extraordinary life of African immigrant Sidiki Conde, a man overcoming his disability one day at a time in New York City. Sidiki balances his career as a performing artist with the obstacles of life in New York [...]

Support Denim Day to protest sexual violence by wearing denim on April 24.  To learn more click here. Also, In honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month (April) and Denim Day there will be a Citywide Op-ed Writing Contest for college students. A$500 prize for one winner from each Borough will be offered. Denim [...]

A thought provoking and stirring article by Pearl Brownstein who writes: I am one of the unlikely homeless. I have a master’s degree and a career in publishing, and I was a co-op owner in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood—yet my 10-month-old son and I now reside in a domestic-violence [...]

Legal Services NYC-Bronx and Queens Legal Services today announced the filing of new federal lawsuit that seeks to reform the New York City Housing Authority’s treatment of domestic violence victims who are seeking emergency public housing in…

An article in The Wall Street Journal reports that an average of more than 50,000 people slept each night in New York City’s homeless shelters for the first time in January, a record that underscores an unsettling national trend: a rising number …

Congressman José E. Serrano announced that he has invited Bronx anti-gun violence activist Gloria Cruz (and Barrier Free Living Freedom House staff member)  to be his guest for the State of the Union. Since losing her niece to gun violence in the Bronx in 2005, Ms. Cruz has worked to [...]

Eve Ensler on One Billion Rising the global phenomenon Thursday Feb. 14 to End Domestic Violence. ..

An article (excerpt below) in  Jan. 15, 2013 NY Times, about Secret Garden consumer Alejandrina Cruz…

ABC News’ Lauren Glassberg reports on the journey of a resident at BFL’s Freedom House Emergency Shelter for survivors of domestic violence. See Grace’s story here.

The agency’s Breaking Barriers newsletter is shipping out its last print edition this month, turning to an online version moving foreword.  The shift is part of the agency’s overall mission to go green, and continue to ramp up it’s social media presence.

A great video to check out: The Deaf Justice Coalition (“DJC”) wants to learn about Deaf and hard of hearing individuals’ experiences with the NYPD! This video explains…

Institute for Healing of Memories, Director Fr. Michael Lapsley released the groups annual newsletter, noting that: “We have come to the end of the year. For the Restoring Humanity Youth project of the Institute for the Healing of Memories it has been a year of growth. Our last newsletter for [...]

Scoring big at film fests and gaining Oscar buzz, Rust and Bone according to the Star Ledger’s Stephen Whitty may require “rethinking what we thought we knew – about love, about sex, about disability – is what “Rust and Bone” is about. Be careful, the film warns us — we [...]

BFL’s Organizational Development Manager Scott Hess (pictured fourth from left) was honored on Dec. 12 with the Human Services Council’s Next Generation Leadership award at the annual awards reception on the stunning 35th floor of Manhattan’s Mutual of America. Honorees were noticed for advocacy, influence and community service. Click here [...]

Theresa Sareo is a New York-based singer/songwriter. In June 2002 she was struck by an impaired driver and her injuries forced the amputation of her right leg. Since the accident she has also become a motivational speaker, and has appeared on CNN’s Larry King Live and in New York Magazine. [...]

FEGS’s Center for Women and Families has a New Job Club for survivors of Family Violence…

Senator John Kerry made an impassioned plea for ratifying a treaty aimed at advancing the rights of the blind and disabled across the globe, urging the US Congress to do for the world what has already been accomplished here to protect Americans with disabilities. Supporters fell six votes short of the [...]

The Half the Sky Movement, which is ‘cutting across platforms to ignite the change needed to put an end to the oppression of women and girls worldwide’ highlighted the work of AWARE: Assisting Women Through Action, Resources and Education in a recent blog post. The article points out that AWARE  [...]

Emmy Award winning journalist Lauren Glassberg (pictured front left) visited BFL’s Freedom House Emergency shelter to shoot footage for a story to air in December. Glassberg spoke with Freedom House Program Director Isa Martinez…

Evacuating during Hurricane Sandy was a nightmare for the able-bodied, but many disabled New Yorkers felt a frightening level of despair and abandonment. Read the AM New York story.

The Sessions, Audience Award winner at Sundance and part of ReelAbilities Film fest, tells the story of a man in an iron lung who wishes to lose his virginity contacts a professional sex surrogate with the help of his therapist and priest.

The Disability Funders Network (DFN) Rapid Response Fund is being activated to help nonprofit organizations meet the immediate and long-term needs of people with disabilities in North Eastern regions impacted by Hurricane Sandy. The DFN Rapid Response Fund will offer mini-grants to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations to meet specific needs such [...]

X Factor UK Star Jamene Douglas, whose mother is a domestic violence survivor, has launched a #RaiseAwarenessForDomesticViolence campaign. His mother Mandy has started her own campaign to raise funds for victims of domestic violence. She wrote on her appeal page: “Raising awareness on the fact that Womens aid needs funding. [...]

BFL’s Domestic Violence Awareness Month event, Lavender & Blue drew a lively crowd in support of the agency mission. Supporters joined new friends at XES Lounge in Manhattan for drinks and gab. The hit of the night was DV Survivor opera diva Vivi Le Voix who wowed the crowd with [...]

When Marine Lance Cpl. Alex Minsky (pictured) lost his leg when his truck rolled over an IED (improvised explosive device) in Afghanistan he had no idea how greatly his journey would end up empowering people with disabilities. LA based photographer Tom Cullis first noticed Alex at his gym. “I saw [...]

The NY Times reports on Community Access’ restoration of the old Gouverneur Hospital, now called Gouverneur Court. Read the article, Still Housing the Needy, In a Changed Manhattan.  Barrier Free Living is working with Community Access on its latest Supportive Housing project. Steve Coe, Community Access Chief Executive Officer says: “As [...]

BFL was honored twice during October’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The Helen Keller Organization and Millneck Organization both recognized BFL for its outstanding work employing and working with interns with disabilities. Aeilushi Mistry, of the BFL Organizational Development Team accepted the Helen Keller nod, pictured above, second from left. [...]

Mothers who experience economic and psychological abuse during the first year of a relationship with their child’s father are more likely to become depressed and spank the child in year five, researchers from the Rutgers School of Social Work have found. Read story.

Institute for Healing of Memories Founder Father Michael Lapsely had a launch event for his stirring new memoir, Redeeming the Past, at the United Nations Church Center in Manhattan on September 27. The Keynote Speaker was Helen Clark: Administrator of the United Nations Development Program. Lapsley, born in New Zealand, [...]

Popular Community Bank recently provided Brooklyn Cyclones baseball tickets and ball caps to residents of BFL’s Transitional Housing and Secret Garden programs…

An article on Disability Direct News reports that Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for North Wales, Eleanor Burnham AM has today given her support to the Equality and Human Rights Commission Inquiry to examine how disabled people…

The U.S. Census Bureau has released a new report, “Americans With Disabilities: 2010.” The report finds that approximately 57 million Americans, or nearly 1 in 5, have a disability, with more than half (87 million) reporting the disability as “severe.” About 4 in 10 working-age persons with a disability were [...]

Children with disabilities are four times more likely than typically developing kids to be victims of violence, according to a first-of-its-kind global analysis, reports the disability scoop…

Transitional Housing will re-launch the Moving On resident newsletter this summer, and plans are underway for a Moving On Blog. BFL’s Occupational Therapy team is steering the project, working with residents to create content and re-imagine the design. John Aliseo, former Transitional Housing resident and Editor of the newsletter in 2010, [...]