New Visions Blog

Now that she’s living in a safe home of her own, BFL Apartments’ resident Shanika can focus on her most important life goal: strengthening her relationship with her 14-year-old daughter. A survivor of domestic violence, Shanika was living at a shelter in Brooklyn, working with her case manager to reclaim her life and find a permanent home back in 2014. In addition to healing from years of abuse and trauma, she was learning… read more

Barrier Free Living (BFL) has been awarded $ 1,523,304 to serve survivors of domestic/intimate partner violence who are D/deaf or hard of hearing. BFL was one of 10 organizations receiving funds as part of Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., investment of $11.8 million to enable victims of crime from underserved communities to access the services they need. "Thirty-one years ago, I was introduced to the issue of domestic violence in the… read more

The Deaf Justice Coalition announced the launch of a pilot program by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) aimed at improving access to law enforcement services for people who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH). “Being able to contact the police if they’re in trouble is something that most people take for granted,” said Deaf Justice Coalition member and Barrier Free Living Secret Garden team member Nicolyn Plummer, who… read more

The newly launched Give One organization worked with the tenant's Garden Club at BFL Apartments this April to spruce up the 6th floor roof. The volunteers and the tenants cleaned the roof, planted seeds and flowers and set up the area for spring.… read more

Team members from NYU Dental did a dynamic presentation on the importance of dental health and oral hygiene for the residents of Freedom House domestic violence shelter this month. BFL's Nurse Brenda was on hand to welcome the NYU team. Over a dozen adults and kids attended and received dental health give away bags.… read more

The team at BFL Apartments held an Easter egg hunt and threw a party for the children living at the supportive housing facility this month. Kids enjoyed lunch, games and a thrilling Easter egg hunt. Every child also received an Easter basket chock full of goodies, these donated by Shannon O'Connor a regular supporter of BFL. Shannon also donated easter baskets to the agencies Secret Garden and Freedom House programs.… read more

Team members from Barrier Free Living's Freedom House domestic violence shelter will be at the International Conference on Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, and Systems Change in April. Cynthia Amodeo and Aida Colon of Freedom House will present "Barriers to Seeking Safety." Freedom House team member Myra Ricard will be attending. (Top photo: Colon, Amodeo and Ricard, left to right). The conference's focus is on sexual assault, intimate partner violence, stalking, human trafficking… read more

Denim Day Activists received a shout out in an article in the Hollywood Times. The article, which was about Bust Magazine's Primped Craftacular event,  notes: “Not every booth was selling goods, either. Two young activists were passing out pamphlets for Denim Day, an annual rally during sexual assault awareness month. In New York City, thousands will gather on April 26th clad in denim jeans. The jeans represent an Italian… read more

Excerpt from the NYC News Service Project, Nowhere to Go By Christine Brink For the first time in a long time, Cherita Barbuto, who suffers from bipolar disorder, counts herself among the lucky ones. For years, she was homeless, bouncing between jail, shelters and the streets. Now she’s living in a modest Bronx apartment (*Barrier Free Living Apartments), part of a city, state, federal and privately financed program called supportive housing, designed to help get… read more

Catch Theater Breaking Through Barriers The Other Plays before it closes, March 26. Featured playwrights include Neil LaBute, Bekah Brunstetter, Lameece Isaaq, Dennis A. Allen II,Tatiana Rivera and others, writing about what it’s like to be “other” in our society. Theater Breaking Through Barriers, is the only Off-Broadway theater, and one of the few professional theaters in the country, dedicated to advancing actors and writers with disabilities and changing the image of people with… read more

Team members from Barrier Free Living's domestic violence programs were present at the Hunter College Community and Social Justice Fair on March 16, 2017. The Fair introduces the Hunter College community to a number of non-profit organizations "that work for the rights of women, girls, youth, workers, immigrants and LGBTQ communities." The Fair enables non-profit organizations to do outreach on campus; inform students about internships and volunteer work; disseminate information about programs and services; and encourage students to become more socially engaged… read more

This March, Barrier Free Living’s (BFL) Freedom House domestic violence program created an American Sign Language (ASL) video as a way to share information with arriving Deaf and Hard of Hearing residents. The film, to be used internally by Freedom House, is supported by the Office on Violence Against Women Disabilities Grant Program. Barrier Free Living's Director of Communications Scott Hess shot the film, working with consultant and long time collaborator Blake Drummond of Diagonal Media.… read more

LeShan Gaulman, program director at Barrier Free Living's Transitional Housing program has contributed a chapter to the newly published book  Fatherhood in America: Social work perspectives on a changing society. Gaulman, who also teaches Introduction to Social Work at Lehman College, wrote a chapter entitled Homeless Fathers.… read more

Two team members from Barrier Free Living's Freedom House domestic violence shelter will present at the End Violence Against Women International (EVAWI) conference in Orlando in April. Cynthia Amodeo and Aida Colon will present "Barriers to Seeking Safety" discussing barriers people with disabilities face when coming into shelter and what the Freedom House team is doing to overcome those barriers. The EVAWI International Conference on Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, and Systems Change is April 18 - 20, 2017 in Orlando, FL.… read more

  The Occupational Therapy team at Barrier Free Living's Transitional Housing program for people with disabilities organized an event to celebrate life and love this February. Residents of the shelter gathered in the main dining hall to mingle with staff, decorate cupcakes and enjoy classic disco.… read more

    Barrier Free Living's Freedom House domestic violence shelter held a Celebration of Love event in February for residents. The event included special activities for both adults and kids and included gift bags, baking and music.… read more

Social Workers from Barrier Free Living's Secret Garden domestic violence program did a presentation on the intersection of domestic violence and disability to 15 Administration for Children's Services (ACS) workers In January. The interactive presentation aimed to raise awareness related to ACS practices.… read more

Barrier Free Living's Transitional Housing shelter for formerly homeless people with disabilities has launched a resident newsletter for winter 2017. Created by the program's Occupational Therapy department, the staff and the residents contributed to the newsletter which focuses on "overcoming challenges." One resident states that "to overcome challenges they must be looked at like obstacles rather than roadblocks." The newsletter is quarterly. Upload the PDF of the newsletter here: bfl-th-newsletter-2… read more

Join the Human Services Council (HSC) for the New York City kickoff of the Restore Opportunity Now Campaign on February 2, 2017, at Ivan Shapiro House, 459 West 46th Street at 1:00 pm. The Restore Opportunity Now Campaign is a statewide effort to call for crucial investments and systemic changes in New York's nonprofit human services sector, which provides essential services to combat poverty and inequality across New York State. The campaign… read more

The Pajama Program donated over 50 pairs of pajamas to the kids living at Barrier Free Living's domestic violence programs this winter. The Pajama Program sets a goal for "every child to feel the love and comfort that lets them escape into peaceful sleep, and to awaken empowered with the energy and resilience that can change every one of their days for the better. We accomplish this with the rather… read more

El Programa de Pijamas (The Pajama Program) donó más de 50 pares de pijamas a los niños que viven en los programas de violencia doméstica de Barrier Free Living este invierno. El Programa de Pijamas establece un objetivo de "permitir a cada niño sentir el amor y la comodidad que le permite escaparse en un sueño pacífico, y despertar con el poder de la energía y la resistencia que… read more

Barrier Free Living Apartments elected the 2017 Tenant Advisory Board this January. "We want to bring our community together as a whole. Making our environment where we live a better place for all us moving forward. Somewhere we can feel safe and happy to come home to," said Gevenia Hernandez, the newly elected President (photo above). "I would like us to do more plays with the kids, more outings as a community and… read more

Barrier Free Living Apartments eligió la Junta Asesora de Inquilinos del 2017 este mes de enero. "Queremos reunir a nuestra comunidad en su conjunto. Haciendo nuestro ambiente donde vivimos un lugar mejor para todos nosotros de ahora en adelante. En algún lugar donde nos sentimos seguros y felices al volver a casa", dijo Gevenia Hernández, la Presidente recién electa  (foto arriba). "Me gustaría que hiciéramos más obras de teatro con los niños… read more

Team members at two Barrier Free Living programs are adding educational related activities to their agendas this winter. LeShan Gaulman, program director at the agency's Transitional Housing program for formerly homeless people with disabilities, has begun teaching Introduction to Social Work at Lehman College. "It has always been my desire to teach on a collegiate level, it was all part of my career path, " says LeShan. "Time management will be an important factor in this process. I know that it… read more

Team members at two Barrier Free Living programs are adding educational related activities to their agendas this winter. LeShan Gaulman, program director at the agency's Transitional Housing program for formerly homeless people with disabilities, has begun teaching Introduction to Social Work at Lehman College. "It has always been my desire to teach on a collegiate level, it was all part of my career path, " says LeShan. "Time management will be an important factor in this process. I know that it… read more

Larry Wilson, who recently joined the Freedom House team as a social worker, has always been keen on making a difference. Wilson, who started his journey with the agency as an intern at Freedom House, is excited to be pursuing his goals and to "learn about family dynamics in the context of trauma." When he's not working, Wilson loves to read, and hopes one day to make it to Burning Man. We caught up… read more

Larry Wilson, quien recientemente se unió al equipo de Freedom House como trabajador social, siempre ha estado interesado en hacer una diferencia. Wilson, quien comenzó su jornada con la agencia en su practica profesional en Freedom House, está emocionado de seguir sus metas y de "aprender sobre la dinámica familiar en el contexto del trauma". Cuando no está trabajando, a Wilson le encanta leer y espera un día llegar a ir a… read more

Social workers at the Barrier Free Living Apartments supportive housing complex in the Bronx continue to work with tenants to achieve new life goals in 2017. David Kwon worked with 4 tenants in 2016, using the crowd funding platform Benevolent. The goal of Benevolent is"to bring dignity and self-determination to both sides of the giving equation, illuminating the realities of life on the edge of sustainability." Cherita, a 56-year-old BFL Apartments tenant who has overcame the trauma of homelessness, domestic… read more

Los trabajadores sociales del complejo de viviendas de apoyo Barrier Free Living Apartments en el Bronx continúan trabajando con los inquilinos para alcanzar nuevos objetivos de vida en el 2017. David Kwon trabajó con 4 inquilinos en el 2016, utilizando la plataforma de cooperación colectiva de financiación Benevolent. El objetivo de Benevolent es "traer dignidad y autodeterminación a ambos lados de la ecuación de las donaciones, iluminando las realidades de la vida al borde de la sostenibilidad". Cherita, una residente… read more

A young resident at Barrier Free Living's Freedom House domestic violence shelter shared a poem of hope and healing to start the new year. The "Silent Girl" is part of a family that experienced domestic violence and abuse prior to finding safe shelter at Freedom House in 2016. The family received therapy and support services and plans to move into a permanent home in 2017.… read more