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 the members of the group.”
The group was led by the Occupational Therapy team; Residents contributed to the booklet which was designed and put together by Patrice C. Queen.
View the poetry clubs booklet by clicking here.
Since 2010 the Kids Wish Network has honored more than 30 children at Freedom House Emergency Shelter with a Hero of the Month award.
The honorees of this program are children between the ages of 3 and 18 who have faced and overcome difficult circumstances, often enduring a great deal of pain and suffering.
“This really speaks to the children’s courage during time of hardship, as their families enter our domestic violence shelter and often have to leave their homes, friends, change schools, and leave some of their comforts such as their toys and clothing all for safety. All of our children deserve to be recognized and Kids Wish Network helps us do just this,” said Cynthia Amodeo, Coordinator of Family Services at Freedom House.
One Hero’s Story:
Maureen, who is 15 years old and was born in the Dominican Republic, was given one of the first Freedom House Hero of the Month honorees in 2010. She moved to the United States at the age of 7. Not only did Maureen witness her father physically and verbally abusing her mother, Maureen was also threatened by her stepfather and was insulted repeatedly. Maureen was elated to move to Freedom House as it offered her family safe haven from abuse and a path to healing. Despite multiple moves and school changes, Maureen is a wonderful student. She hopes one day to attend college and become a police detective so that she can make a difference in her community.
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BFL’s Occupational Therapy Program Coordinator Patricia Motus, OTR/L, and Christina Marino, MS, OTR/L presented “Occupational Therapy with Survivors of Domestic Violence: An Initial Cross Case Analysis for Determining Factors of Success in a Shelter Setting” at the The American Occupational Therapy Association’s 93rd Annual Conference & Expo in San Diego April 25-28.
The AOTA Annual Conference & Expo is “the most dynamic gathering for occupational therapy professionals each year… Stimulating Presidential and keynote addresses, hundreds of focused educational sessions, exceptional speakers, valuable connections, and an Expo brimming with state of the art products and opportunities are all under one roof in San Diego.”
Click here to view the BFL Presentation.
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