Author: Barrier Free Living
Pajama Program Donates PJS To Kids At BFL Domestic Violence Programs
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
Tenant Advisory Board Elected At Barrier Free Living Apartments
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
BFL Team Members Get Involved With Education
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 Joins Freedom House Team
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
BFL Apartments’ Team Works With Tenants To Achieve Dreams
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
Young Freedom House Resident’s Poem of Hope
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
Barrier Free Living’s Secret Garden Empowerment Groups Thrive In 2017
The Occupational Therapy team at Barrier Free Living's Secret Garden domestic violence program kicked off 2017 with a host of weekly empowerment groups for consumers, from Money Matters to Self Care.
The monthly cycle of groups include Creatively Empowered, Money Matters, Beauty and Self Care, and Movement and Fitness.
The groups provide a "safe and open environment for participants to learn steps to improve self-esteem and stress management skills. It allows clients to gain… read more
Disability Pride Parade Fund Raiser
Disability Pride NYC will hold a Jazz Legends for Disability Pride fund raiser on Thursday, January 5th, 2017, 6:30-9:30pm at The Quaker Friends Meeting Hall 15 Rutherford Place, New York City.
Performers include: Ron Carter, Benny Golson, Buster Williams, Jimmie Cobb, Harold Mabern, Eddie Henderson, Louis Hayes, Carl Allen, George Coleman, Jon Faddis, Peter Bernstein, Eric Alexander, Joe Farnsworth, Buster Williams, Bill Charlap, Renee Rosnes, Kenny Washington, Peter Washington, John Webber, Donald Vega… read more
Spread The Sparkle Holiday Event For Barrier Free Living
Spread The Sparkle hosted a holiday event for Barrier Free Living on December 25, providing a sumptuous dinner buffet, a visit from Santa and gifts for nearly 180 attending.
Tenants of Barrier Free Living apartments, residents of the agency's Freedom House domestic violence shelter and consumers of BFL's Secret Garden domestic violence program attended the festivities. The day's events included a photo booth, Santa Claus, caroling and more.
Spread The… read more
NYC Metro RID ASL Happy Hour Event
NYC Metro RID will hold a Holiday Happy Hour on December 15th at Slante Bar (304 Bowery NYC) at 6pm and welcomes all in the Deaf community.
The mission of Metro RID is to initiate, sponsor, promote and execute practices that will further the profession of the interpretation of American Sign Language and English and the transliteration of English.
For Questions, please contact Danielle Piccirilli at [email protected]… read more
Kids Of BFL Apartments Perform Charlie Brown Play
Kids living at Barrier Free Living Apartments performed a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving play at the complex's community event in November.
The play kicked off the BFL Apartments' community Thanksgiving dinner, and drew a crowd of enthused parents, friends and staff.
Tenants and staff pitched in to create the magical set, sew and decorate costumes and set the stage for an unforgettable show. The theatre group hopes to do another show in the near future.
BFL Apartments offers permanent homes for survivors of… read more
National Action Network Hosts Thanksgiving Dinner For People In Shelter
The National Action Network on behalf of Rev. Al Sharpton is hosting a Thanksgiving event on Thursday, November 24th for homeless- and/or individuals/families living in shelters.
The free event is at 106 145th St., NY NY 10039 from 11am-3pm… read more
Poet/Educator Cathryn Ana Glenday
Cathryn Ana Glenday, MPH, MA, LMHC, is a psychotherapist and health educator focusing on disability mental health in Albuquerque.
She has been writing poetry since grade school. She is also working on a memoir about her own life and the lives of other disabled women she has encountered as a medical student and grad student in clinical psychology. She shares a poem, below.
Desert Fortress
High above Albuquerque, behind the barbed wire fence,
The isolated desert… read more
Hearts Of Gold Donates Gift Bags To Freedom House Pregnant Moms
Hearts of Gold donated bath and shower gift bags to the pregnant moms at Barrier Free Living Freedom House domestic violence shelter.
The mission of Hearts of Gold, which has supported Freedom House in various capacities over the past few years, is "re-imagining the future of homeless mothers and their children, together by helping them to become confident and self-sufficient as they prepare to transition out of New York City shelter… read more
BFL Apartments Community Halloween Party Draws Kids, Parents, Staff
BFL Apartments held a fun and festive community Halloween party for tenants and staff on October 25.
The event included lunch, a costume contest and activities for the kids.
BFL Apartments in the Bronx offers permanent homes for survivors of domestic violence with disabilities and veterans with disabilities and includes on site counseling, skill-building… read more
#AskHumanRightsNYC Twitter Q&A Friday October 28
The NYC Commission on Human Rights is an accessible resource for New Yorkers with questions, concerns, and inquiries about their rights under the City Human Rights Law.
Looking to add more channels of contact between its agency and partners, community members, and New Yorkers of all walks of life, this Friday will be the first #AskHumanRightsNYC Twitter Question & Answer session.
Have any questions about discrimination in housing, employment, or public accommodations; the Commission… read more
Helping Hands For The Disabled NYC Halloween Party
Helping Hands for the Disabled of NYC is holding its annual Halloween Party on Monday, October 31, 6pm to 8pm at the Hudson Guild, 441 W. 26th Street between 9th and 10th Avenue.
The cost is $10, small sandwiches and special treats will be served. Register to attend by calling 718-606-9712. Helping Hands for the Disabled NYC is a non-profit organization which has… read more
Surviving & Thriving Domestic Violence Awareness Event Oct. 21
Photo: BFL's Aeilushi Mistry (at left) with Diana Reyna , Deputy Brooklyn Borough President
The Second Annual Surviving & Thriving event took place Friday October 21 from 10AM to 4PM at Brooklyn Borough Hall, 209 Jeralemon St., Brooklyn NY.
The event was a "celebration of courage, resilience, and strength from survivors and organizations that are thriving in our communities." The day included breakfast, relaxation and rejuvenation activities and a host of domestic violence organizations… read more
Art By Kids Of Freedom House Shelter Featured At TD Bank’s Bring Change Event
Art made by the kids from Barrier Free Living's (BFL) domestic violence programs was on display at the TD Bank's Bring Change Event Friday Oct. 7 in NYC.
BFL works with people with disabilities — both survivors of domestic violence and homeless men, women and children — to thrive in safe, supportive communities. Team members from BFL were on hand to talk about the agency's work, as the bank staff encouraged patrons to… read more
ABC’s Speechless Highlights Teen With A Disability
While able-bodied actors portray 95 percent of actors with a disability, such is not the case with ABC’s new comedy “Speechless”.
The show follows a family of five with a special needs child, and Micah Fowler, a teen who has cerebral palsy, plays the character in the comedy. Show creator Scott Silveri loosely based “Speechless” on his experience growing up with an older brother with a disability.
The first episode features… read more
Exhibit Features Art By Children Of Barrier Free Living’s Freedom House Shelter
Art created by the children living at Barrier Free Living's Freedom House domestic violence shelter will be on display Monday October 17.
The exhibit is presented by the NYC Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence, NYC Human Resources Administration and Gibney Dance Company.
The event will be held at 53A Chambers Street on Monday October 17 from 4pm-6pm.… read more
Barrier Free Living Honored With Caritas Medal
Barrier Free Living was one of the honorees at St. John's Universities' Vincentian Convocation, held on September 22 in St. Thomas More Church at the Queens campus. Each year, the event honors people and organizations whose lives and work mirror the University’s mission.
The Caritas Medal was presented to Paul Feuerstein, the President/CEO of Barrier Free Living, for the agency's powerful work assisting those with disabilities.
“As I listened to the citations… read more
Freedom House Ten Year Anniversary Video Highlights
Take a look at some of the highlights from the Freedom House Ten Year Anniversary event!
Freedom House Team Joins Brides March On September 26
Freedom House domestic violence shelter team members attended this year's Bride's March.
The March (where participants wear wedding gowns) "mourns the victims of domestic violence while raising awareness of the horrors of this antisocial criminal behavior."
The Gladys Ricart and Victims of Domestic Violence Memorial Walk/Brides’ March is an annual event which was started in New York City in 2001 to remember Gladys Ricart, a Dominican woman from Washington Heights, who was murdered… read more
BFL Launches New Website October 2016
Working with Coa design, Barrier Free Living will launch a stream-lined, mobile responsive site in October… read more