Year: 2013

A Whole Lott More Looks at Employment Issues For People With Disabilities

December 3, 2013 Advocacy, Current Events 0 Comments
A Whole Lott More : Lott Industries in Toledo, Ohio, employs more than 1200 workers, all with developmental disabilities. For decades the company excelled in assembling car parts. However, with the decline of the auto industry in neighboring Detroit, Lott is threatened with closure. The company has twelve months to reinvent itself and to save the livelihoods of its employees. “A Whole Lott More”, a documentary feature, follows Lott’s critical year from the perspecitives of four unique and unforgettable… read more

Bruce Weber Book Includes Home Boy Bakery Charity

November 26, 2013 Current Events 0 Comments
Famed Photographer Bruce Weber's latest book “All-American Volume Thirteen: Born Ready: A Journal by Bruce Weber” (teNeues) consists of photos and essays on a number of subjects, most of which he didn’t photograph, from Homeboy Industries to Edie Windsor’s long relationship with her eventual spouse, Thea Spyer. Homeboy Industries serves high-risk, formerly gang-involved men and women with a continuum of free services and programs, and operates seven social enterprises that serve as job-training sites. Women's Wear Daily reports that: For this… read more

Adham Talaat Inspiring NFL Hopeful

November 22, 2013 Current Events 0 Comments
A CBS News story reports: Of all the thousands of draft hopefuls on NFL scouts' radars this fall, none has had a more interesting college career than Adham Talaat. You probably have never heard of Talaat or the school he plays for, Gallaudet University, a Division III school in Washington D.C. with an amazing history. Gallaudet, founded by Abraham Lincoln in 1864, is the only university in the world that serves the… read more

Inspirational Yoga Show Stagecraft Play Festival December

November 20, 2013 Current Events 0 Comments
One Breath, Then Another: An Interactive Yoga Show chronicles Amanda Miller’s month long experience studying yoga on an ashram in India. The show depicts her quest for healing and empowerment to avoid destroying herself like her father. One Breath, Then Another: An Interactive Yoga Show Written & Performed by Amanda Erin Miller as part of Manhattan Repertory Theatre's STAGECRAFT PLAY FESTIVAL. 303 W. 42nd Street at 8th Avenue, on the 6th Floor.  Wednesday December 4 at 9 pm Friday December 6 at 9 pm Saturday December… read more

Law Ensures Implementation Of Orders Of Protection

November 15, 2013 Advocacy, Domestic Violence and Disabilities 0 Comments
The New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence POLICY TEAM reports that on November 13, 2013 marked a significant victory for victims of domestic violence: Chapter 480 of the 2013 Laws of New York clarifies that protected parties cannot "violate" an order in place to protect them. This law is necessary to ensure that the intention of the legislature was upheld and that the value of an order of protection is not undermined. This law amends the domestic… read more

Hearts of Gold Gala

November 12, 2013 BFL News, Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities Tags: 0 Comments
Hearts of Gold, which has taken on BFL's Freedom House emergency shelter as a sponsored program, held its Fiesta Latina Gala this past month. Pictured at the gala are: left to right - Rhonda Ross, Board of Directors of Hearts of Gold; Myra Ricard, Director of Social Services at Freedom House; and Deborah Koenigsberger, Founder and Executive Director of Hearts of Gold… read more

Legislation Protects DV Victims

November 8, 2013 Advocacy, Domestic Violence and Disabilities 0 Comments
The Waltham reported that the State Senate last month unanimously passed legislation enhancing protections for victims of domestic violence, strengthening penalties for strangulation and establishing new employment rights for victims. “The bill takes steps forward for making sure domestic violence victims and their family members keep their jobs,” said Sen. Mike Barrett, who represents Waltham and serves as Senate chairman of the Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities. “People in these awful situations should have time to get medical… read more

Court Says New York Neglected Disabled in Emergencies

November 8, 2013 BFL News, Current Events, Shelter 0 Comments
The New York Times reports: New York City has violated the rights of about 900,000 of its residents with disabilities by failing to accommodate for their needs during emergencies, a federal judge ruled. The ruling arose from a lawsuit filed in 2011 after Tropical Storm Irene, but came into sharper focus after Hurricane Sandy, when many New Yorkers with disabilities were stranded for days. The judge, Jesse M. Furman of Federal District Court in Manhattan, found that the city, through “benign… read more

AHA Foundation Conference in December

November 7, 2013 Uncategorized 0 Comments
The AHA Foundation's 3rd Annual Conference will take place on December 4, 2013 in New York City. The AHA Foundation is a non-profit organization that works to prevent violence against women and girls.  The 2013 conference will address the topics of Honor Violence, Forced Marriage and Female Genital Mutilation - issues that affect individuals and youth from a wide variety of immigrant communities, in New York City and beyond. View the conference agenda.… read more

Coalition Sparks Homelessness Discussion at Final NYC Debate

November 4, 2013 Advocacy, BFL News, Current Events, Shelter 0 Comments
The Supportive Housing Network of New York reports that after several debates in which the word "homeless" was never uttered, moderators at last week's final debate asked candidates to detail their plans to reduce NYC's record level of homelessness, this a result of a United to End Homelessness twitter rally. United to End Homelessness held two Twitter rallies in October to urge New York City's mayoral candidates and debate moderators to discuss homelessness. The Coalition's efforts paid off. Debate moderators… read more

Disabled Women Twice As Likely To Be Violently Abused

October 25, 2013 Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities 0 Comments
ABCRadio National reports that: A shocking new report conducted by the University of New South Wales has revealed that violent experiences faced by disabled women are not only more common, but will last longer and result in more severe injuries. Dr Leanne Dowse, lead researcher of the ‘Stop the Violence’ project, says a survey conducted as part of the research shows that service providers across the disability, justice and mental health sectors were able to identify that at least a quarter… read more

Hearts of Gold Ribbon Cutting Kick’s off Sponsorhip of Freedom House

October 25, 2013 BFL News, Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities Tags: 0 Comments
A special ribbon cutting ceremony was held at BFL's Freedom House program to kick off Heart's of Gold sponsoring the shelter for the next year. The Hearts of Gold mission is to "foster sustainable change in lifestyle and levels of self-sufficiency for homeless mothers and their children. " Hearts of Gold's next event at Freedom House is a Halloween party in October for the children and families residing at the domestic… read more

Teen with Disability Signed to Top Ranked Basketball Team

October 24, 2013 Advocacy, BFL News, Current Events 0 Comments
Georgia teenager Zach Hodskins, a 17-year-old was born without the lower half of his left arm, earned a spot on one of the nation's top teams, the University of Florida. The news was reported nationally on a variety of sources, including CBS News, and has been taken up as a strong new inspiration for people with disabilities. Click here to read the CBS News Story… read more

Toy Donations Brighten Holidays at Freedom House Emergency Shelter

October 23, 2013 BFL News, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Shelter Tags: 0 Comments
Toy and gift donations from The Kids Wish Network, FPWA and Manhattan-based Holy Trinity Church brighten the holidays for the children residing at Freedom House Emergency Shelter. This year, Kids Wish included Barrier Free Living in its special Gift Bank delivering 1 pallet (650lbs) of brand new toys, games, educational items and more to the children.  BFL is part of the Kids Wish Hero of the Month program aimed at "children between the ages of 3 and 18… read more

BFL’s Speaker’s Bureau Part of Ground Breaking Event

October 22, 2013 BFL News, Breaking Barriers Newsletter, Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities Tags: 0 Comments
Theresa MacIntosh, founder of BFL's Survivor's Speaker's Bureau, participated in artist Suzanne Lacy's Between the Door and the Street, a political performance that brought together close to 400 women in Brooklyn. "It was an absolutely awesome experience and the first time our Speaker's Bureau participants were able to speak. They made me so proud," said MacIntosh, pictured at center with her group. Barrier Free Living. Inc. Speakers Bureau was founded in May 2012 by… read more

Secret Garden Team Member’ s Journey to Healing

October 22, 2013 BFL News, Breaking Barriers Newsletter, Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities Tags: 0 Comments
The following article will appear in Barrier Free Living's annual newsletter (Nov. 2013) Breaking Barriers.  To learn more, or receive the free newsletter, contact [email protected] Antoinette Calabretta, a Case Manager at Barrier Free Living’s Secret Garden Program, shares her personal journey dealing with a disability and becoming a powerful force of change in the lives of the people she works with.  Of note: Alejandrina Cruz, who Antoinette works with at the Secret Garden, was featured in a New York Times story… read more

BFL’s 25 Videos of Hope Featured in Crain’s New York Article

October 21, 2013 BFL News, Current Events 0 Comments
Barrier Free Living's 25 Videos of Hope Campaign is featured in the Oct. 20 Crains New York article  "Making the holidays count". The article notes that: Overall, the Internet has been a major boon to holiday fundraising, especially for smaller organizations that can't afford to host big galas and lack boards crowded with deep-pocketed philanthropists. Barrier Free Living, a Manhattan-based nonprofit that provides services for the disabled, will start a monthlong campaign in December featuring one daily video of… read more

BFL’s Secret Garden Team Presents at Domestic Violence Awareness Month Conference

October 18, 2013 Advocacy, BFL News, Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities Tags: 0 Comments
Secret Garden team members will present at the Domestic Violence Awareness Month Conference: Prevention, Intervention, and Collaboration: Effective Strategies to End Domestic Violence that will be held on October 28-30, 2013 in South Carolina. The Secret Garden's Georgette Delionis and Jules Perkel will present Living Practice Considerations for Survivors of Domestic Violence with Disabilities. The annual conference is hosted by the South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and the South Carolina Department of Social Services. Click to… read more

RPG Volunteers Create Bold New Play Area At Freedom House Shelter

October 17, 2013 BFL News, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Shelter Tags: 0 Comments
Volunteers from Manhattan's RPG firm will transform the Freedom House Emergency Shelter child care area into a joyful jungle this fall. Lead by Ellen L. Friedman, Executive Vice President at RPG (Ellen is a member of AWARE which took on Freedom House last year as a partner program) the volunteers are planning a dynamic new paint design of the space (image above) which serves 54 kids. "The children we… read more

BFL’s Paul Feuerstein Honored at Northstar Town Hall Awards

October 11, 2013 BFL News, Current Events 0 Comments
Barrier Free Living's CEO Paul Feuerstein will receive the Humanitarian Award at the 12th Annual 504 Northstar Town Hall Awards Dinner on October 25th in Harlem. The event, which includes live jazz, a buffet and an open bar, will be held from 6p.m.-10p.m. at the Alhambra Ballroom, 2116 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd between 125th and 126th Street in Harlem, NY.  Feuerstein is one of a host of honorees. Barrier Free Living works with people with disabilities and also survivors of… read more

Roadmap to Ending Homelessness Report

October 10, 2013 Advocacy, BFL News, Shelter 0 Comments
The 130-member United to End Homelessness coalition released its “Roadmap to Ending Homelessness,” which "lays out the reforms necessary to stamp out homelessness in New York City." The coalition was featured in the media, including the New York Times Opinion Pages stating: "More than 50,000 New Yorkers slept in city homeless shelters and on the streets last night. About 21,000 were children." Read the NY Times article. View the Road to End Homelessness Report here.… read more

Theresa Sareo Featured on Today Show

October 8, 2013 Current Events 0 Comments
Singer Theresa Sareo, who lost her leg after being hit by a drunk driver in 2002, will be featured on Today with Kathie Lee and Hoda Kotb on Thursday October 10 at 10 a.m. EST. Theresa, who visits trauma patients to inspire them with her music and journey, will be featured on this season's premiere of the popular 'Everyone Has A Story' segment of the show.  Kathie Lee and David Friedman have… read more

BFL Sponsor of Shine the Light on DV

October 2, 2013 BFL News, Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities 0 Comments
Join Barrier Free Living and our fellow sponsors on Oct. 7 at 6:30 p.m. for the annual Shine The Light on Domestic Violence rally in Duffy Square, NYC, 47 street/Broadway. October is DV Awareness month. Click here to learn more.… read more

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