New Visions Blog

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

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

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 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum’s Disability Awareness Month is a month-long series of programs, including family activities, specialized tours, and speaker events. The goal of Disability Awareness Month is to bring together families, children, and adults with varying needs, and advocates who are involved with creating and supporting opportunities for them. This month celebrates our differences and raises awareness for bettering cultural experiences for everyone, including children and adults who are, or work with, people who are Deaf or… read more

In celebration of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, 2013  The Maria Project will be hosting a GIVE VOICE and GIVE PEACE Benefit with Tony Award Winner and Tap Dance Sensation – SAVION GLOVER.  Click here to get tix. The event is Tuesday, October 8 at New York Live Arts / 219 W. 19th Street (between 7th and 8th) at 7:30 PM (Doors Open at 7:00 PM).  Tickets Start at $30.00 / Limited Seating. To learn about The Maria Project click… read more

AWARE (Assisting Women through Action, Resources and Education) hosted a Family Health Fair at Freedom House Emergency Shelter on September 28. The group  also donated a new baby stroller to a consumer at BFL's Secret Garden Domestic Violence program this month (picture above). The Freedom House event, CARE FOR YOURSELF, CARE FOR YOUR FAMILY, CARE FOR YOUR FUTURE included doctors, nurses, nutritionists & other healthcare experts engaging with the shelter residents and… read more

Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence Commissioner Yolanda B. Jimenez has unveiled a multi-layered public service campaign that will empower victims of intimate partner violence to seek the help they need. "That's Abuse" will appear at bus shelters, subway cars and platforms, grocery store circulars, community-based organizations, businesses throughout key neighborhoods, and common areas at numerous City agencies. This citywide campaign seeks to connect with victims through words and images that capture the emotional impact of abuse. Survivors of domestic violence… read more

Nicole Lesser has joined the BFL team as Director of the agency's Freedom House Emergency Shelter. An expert in the area of violence against women, Nicole brings 20 years of experience to her new position.  She has specialized in collaborative systematic change, nonprofit management and program design. What drew you to BFL as an agency and Freedom House as a program? What about the agency mission appeals to you?… read more

March in the Thirteenth Annual Gladys Ricart and Victims of Domestic Violence Memorial Walk/Brides’ March on September 26 in New York City. Gathering begins at 8:00am at the Fort Washington Heights Presbyterian Church, located at 21 Wadsworth Avenue, corner of West 174th Street in Washington Heights, New York. The Opening/Invocation Ceremony will take place at 9am. The approximate 7 mile walk begins at 10:30am sharp, and walks south on Broadway, into the… read more

Work with Us, an exhibition of stories from people living in poverty and marginalisation around the world, demonstrating their visions for change in their communities, runs through Sept. 27 at The Roger Smith Hotel in New York City. The hotel is at 501 Lexington Avenue.  A Documentary screening will be held September 20, 6:30pm. Click here for more info.… read more

Barrier Free Justice will hold: Making a Difference: Conversations about empowerment and advocacy within the disability community. Making a Difference, held in collaboration with Project Shield, will be Thursday, September 26th from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm (registration begins at 9:30 am) on the 19th Floor at the Kings County District Attorney’s Office in downtown Brooklyn. Presentations feature: Brain Injury Association of NYS, Brooklyn Center for the Independence of the Disabled and more.… read more

Laurence A. Pagnoni, MA, MPA releases his book, The Nonprofit Fundraising Solution  this October. The book says Pagnoni "guides non-profits to increased revenues to fulfill their mission. Revealing the critical link between successful fundraising and organizational development, I try to offer an insider’s view that I think you'll appreciate. The book will help non-profits: develop a donor constituency where none exists, ensure fundraising support from your board and executive… read more

A tweet from United to End Homelessness has gained attention. UEH tweeted: More people were homeless last night than voted in the Republican primary. Please RT if you think 57,000 homeless NYers is unacceptable. View the tweet, click here. UEH is a coalition of advocates, homeless and formerly homeless individuals, service providers, faith leaders, and experts on the issue of homelessness in New York City.  UEH also wrote: New York City held its high-profile primary elections… read more

The 13th annual Matthew Sapolin Memorial Wheelchair Basketball Tournament (formerly the Mayor’s Cup) will bring the nation’s best wheelchair basketball teams to New York City for two days of non-stop action on October 5 & 6. The tournament, held at Manhattan College in the Bronx, is the largest of its kind in the Northeast and has become one of the premier events on the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) schedule. Admission is… read more

CBS News reports on a weightlifter who's lifting spirits. Born with Down syndrome, Jonathan Stoklosa, 31, has the power to lift more than weights. Steve Hartman reports. View the video click here.… read more

New Destiny’s Executive Director, Carol Corden’s op-ed on the importance of addressing the crisis of homelessness for survivors of domestic violence was published this Sunday in the Daily News. She writes: Every day in New York City, the NYPD responds to over 700 incidents of domestic violence. It impacts every neighborhood of the city, and is currently the leading cause of murder for women in New York City. That’s why it’s important for the next mayor to have a comprehensive plan… read more

BFL honored staff of all programs in categories ranging from Most Dedicated to the BFL Vision to Integrity on the Job and Best Sense of Humor at the annual awards event this September. There were 35 honorees in over a dozen categories honored with gold statuettes. BFL HR/Organizational Development Team Member Aeilushi Mistry spearheaded the ceremony, which included a luncheon and a rousing game of BFL Family Feud. The Transitional Housing Team… read more

Freedom House will hold its 'Leaf it to Kids' fall foliage event on Thursday, September 12, 2013 from 1-4pm (for ages 1-4yrs). The event is sponsored by Moodys. Moody's 14 volunteers will participate, working along side staff on a host of activities… read more

The Disability and Abuse Project released a report that gives low grades to state and local agencies for failing to respond adequately to widespread abuse of children and adults with disabilities. The Report -- "Abuse of People with Disabilities: Victims and Their Families Speak Out" -- analyzes the results of what may be the largest survey of its kind in the nation.  More than 7,200 people took the survey which inquired into the experiences of people with disabilities as victims of abuse and bullying. Family… read more

Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer commemorates Domestic Violence Awareness Month by joining with the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence for the Third Annual Shine the Light on Domestic Violence on October 7 at 6:30 PM, Duffy Square in Times Square (SW Corner of Broadway and 47th Street). Barrier Free Living joins a host of sponsors along with the Borough President to take a stand. Click here… read more