Category: Advocacy

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Advocacy

Strong Nonprofits for a Better New York

February 21, 2020 Advocacy 0 Comments
Nonprofit coalitions from across New York stand together in an historic coalition to call on the State to invest in a 3% increase on contracts and rates for the next 5 years for the survival of the sector. Human service nonprofits provide vital services, including after-school programs, supportive housing, homeless services, job training, substance abuse disorder/addiction and mental health services to millions of New Yorkers annually. Human services funding at the State… read more

Deaf Hotline Launches Website Live Chat Feature

September 11, 2019 Advocacy, Disability News, Domestic Violence and Disabilities 0 Comments
THE NATIONAL DEAF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE launched a new logo (pictured) and announced new services on its website including a live chat feature making it "more accessible by offering various options for survivors, friends and family members" to reach them. The Deaf Hotline has advocates available for crisis intervention, education, information and referrals for Deaf, DeafBlind, DeafDisabled Callers.… read more

BFL’s Secret Garden Opens New Space, Unveils Historical Timeline

May 17, 2019 Advocacy, Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Our Stories 0 Comments
Barrier Free Living's (BFL) Secret Garden domestic violence program welcomed staff and supporters to the grand opening of its new healing space this May. A historical timeline was unveiled (photo above) mapping the program's decades of providing services to survivors of domestic violence with disabilities. "This is a great new home where we can focus on our comprehensive services. We welcome all agency staff to attend our regular workshops and trainings, or… read more

Barrier Free Living Presents: Exploring the Intersection of Domestic Violence, Disability & Trauma

May 13, 2019 Advocacy, Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities 0 Comments
Cynthia Amodeo, Chief Program Officer at Barrier Free Living and Jules Perkel, Program Director at Barrier Free Living's Secret Garden, will co-present this presentation at this year's conference.  According to the Office on Women's Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, research suggests that women with disabilities are more likely to suffer domestic violence and sexual assault than women without disabilities, and women with disabilities report abuse that lasts longer… read more

Debt & Domestic Violence

May 10, 2019 Advocacy, Breaking Barriers in DV, Domestic Violence and Disabilities 0 Comments
April was recognized as Financial Literacy Month in the U.S. and there were a roster of events shining a spotlight on the importance of economic and financial education. Barrier Free Living’s programs (Secret Garden, Freedom House, BFL Apartments) offer a variety of financial literacy workshops and educational forums throughout the year for our tenants, residents and participants who are survivors of domestic violence with disabilities. Our Freedom House domestic violence shelter works with The… read more

BFL Apartments’ Tenant Miss Flo Teams With Social Worker For Success

May 8, 2019 Advocacy, Our Stories 0 Comments
Miss Flo, one of the original tenants of Barrier Free Living Apartments in the Bronx, was an active part of the community from the start. She  was a founding member of the garden club, and was a regular attendee of Occupational Therapy groups and workshops. In 2017, however, two strokes that came only ten days apart, landed her in the hospital. "I was very close to death," says Flo. Flo recovered and returned… read more

Barrier Free Living’s Freedom House: Denise Survivor Spotlight  

April 2, 2019 Advocacy, Breaking Barriers in DV, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Our Stories 0 Comments
An encounter with an occupational therapist during a hospital stay in 2017 was the first step in Denise’s journey to safety. “I was in the hospital for a multiple sclerosis flare up. I had a week before I had to go home. My living situation was toxic. Mental and psychological abuse,” says Denise. “I was scared and my blood pressure was going up. An occupational therapist asked me about my blood pressure and she ended up telling me she had been… read more

February is Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month

February 8, 2019 Advocacy, Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities 0 Comments
Contributor Sara Eldridge, LMSW, is the Assisstant Director of Social Services at Barrier Free Living’s Freedom House domestic violence shelter. Sara is a licensed social worker who received a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College in 2015. Sara has been a social worker at Freedom House since 2015, where she provides individual and group counseling to adults, children and adolescents. Prior to Freedom House… read more

V-Day February 14

February 7, 2019 Advocacy, Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities 0 Comments
V-Day is a global activist movement to end violence against women and girls that occurs in February. Learn more about V-Day here.  V-Day is a catalyst that promotes creative events to increase awareness, raise money, and revitalize the spirit of existing anti-violence organizations. V-Day generates broader attention for the fight to stop violence against women and girls, including rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation (FGM), and sex slavery. Through V-Day campaigns, local volunteers… read more

Inclusion Advocacy Training Series: Free Training For Women and Girls with Disabilities and their Allies

January 25, 2019 Advocacy, Current Events, Disability News 2 Comments
NYC Women & Teen Girls with Disabilities:  Upskilling Training Program Training program for women and teen girls with disabilities in NYC to advance skills in preparation for civic engagement RespectAbility is on the front lines of advancing the empowerment of women and girls with disabilities. We are passionate about bringing intersectionality into our work, and into the nonprofit sector at-large. We are excited to announce a new effort to raise the voices, lives and experiences of New York City’s almost 500,000 women and… read more

PopGym Self Defense Workshop At Barrier Free Living’s Freedom House Domestic Violence Shelter

November 16, 2018 Advocacy, Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Our Stories 0 Comments
Working from a philosophy that takes both a physical and an emotional approach to self defense, PopGym held a workshop for the residents of Barrier Free Living's Freedom House domestic violence shelter this October. (Take a short virtual tour of Freedom House here.) We caught up with PopGym team member Grey to find out a bit more about this innovative organization in New York City. BFL: How did you get… read more

Barrier Free Living Team Attends Undoing Racism Workshop

November 6, 2018 Advocacy 0 Comments
Barrier Free Living team members turned out for the monthly Undoing Racism workshop this November held in New York City, led by MPG Consulting. BFL continues its commitment to “Undoing Racism” and continues to hold regular two-day intensive workshops for all new agency staff led by  MPG Consulting.  “BFL has embarked on a deliberate process of introspection to promote racial equity in its delivery system. This is an example of transformative intent… read more

Advocate Spotlight: Irma Williams

October 9, 2018 Advocacy, Breaking Barriers Newsletter, Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Our Stories 0 Comments
When Irma Williams joined the Barrier Free Living apartments (BFLA) social work team this past year, she brought a skill set she’d developed over a decade. Originally from Guatemala, Irma grew up in lower Manhattan and started out as a peer program assistant at Boom Health (formerly citywide harm reduction.) During her time at Boom, she earned a master’s degree in social work from Hunter College and was promoted to the social work… read more

Barrier Free Living At NYC Stock Exchange Closing Bell For Disability Employment Awareness Month

October 4, 2018 Advocacy, Current Events, Disability News 0 Comments
Barrier Free Living attended the closing bell at the NY Stock Exchange on October 3, 2018 as part of National Disability Employment Awareness Month. Cynthia Amodeo (photo above) Barrier Free Living's Chief Program Officer was on hand at the closing bell. The NYSE welcomed Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) to ring The Closing Bell in celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The agency joined a host of other agency's and individuals for the… read more

Harlem Independent Living Center Releases Videos On HIV For Deaf Or Hard Of Hearing

September 5, 2018 Advocacy, Current Events 0 Comments
The Harlem Independent Living Center, with support from the AIDS Institute, recently completed production of five brief videos on HIV specifically for people who are deaf or hard of hearing.  These landmark videos are the first of their kind, developed in sign language by and for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. https://vimeo.com/274758309 Each video is available for viewing or downloading by clicking below. The video series covers the following topics: 1.HIV: Know Your Rights… read more

Barrier Free Living Team Marches In Disability Pride Parade

July 16, 2018 Advocacy, Current Events, Disability News, Uncategorized 0 Comments
Team members of Barrier Free Living marched in this year's Disability Pride Parade in New York City on July 15. Disability Pride Parades were held through the month world wide. The first Disability Pride Day was held in Boston, MA in 1990. For nearly 40 years, Barrier Free Living has been working with people with disabilities, and survivors of domestic violence with disabilities and their families, at our shelters and… read more

Barrier Free Living Team Member Presents At Safe Horizon

July 11, 2018 Advocacy, Current Events 0 Comments
Barrier Free Living team member Nicolyn Plummer will present at Safe Horizon on  July 16, 24 and 31  on topics related to Deafness and the deaf community. Nicolyn, who is a Social Worker and Coordinator of Outreach & Advocacy Deaf Services  at Barrier Free Living's Secret Garden & Freedom House shelter will present to 200 of Safe Horizon's Crime Victim Assistance Program (CVAP) advocates who work in each NYPD precinct throughout the city. She will present on: Understanding Deafness Understanding… read more

Two Advocates Talk About the Sexual Assault Epidemic Affecting People with Disabilities & How We Can All Help

July 9, 2018 Advocacy, Domestic Violence and Disabilities 0 Comments
Reposted from the No More Blog. The following was co-written by James and Leigh Ann. For far too long, people with disabilities and their allies have been invisible to mainstream society, forced to live in the shadows within our communities, and given little opportunity or a platform to speak out on issues we care about. This painful reality has been especially damaging when it comes to sexual assault. While national movements like #MeToo have opened the door to establishing a… read more

Denim Day NYC April 25

April 23, 2018 Advocacy, Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities 0 Comments
A host of events are planned for Denim Day in New York City Wednesday, April 25th.  Denim Day NYC is a coalition of community agencies, elected officials, students, and volunteers united to promote awareness around the issue of sexual assault. Denim Day grew out of a case in which a rape conviction was overturned because the judge reasoned the victim’s tight jeans meant that… read more

Blogger Julia Alberino Muses On The Paralympics, And That Google Doodle

March 12, 2018 Advocacy, Current Events 0 Comments
Guest Blogger Julia Alberino retired in 2011 after more than thirty years as a health care administrator in both the public and private sectors. She was a frequent speaker at professional conferences, and co-founder of an advocacy group that worked to maintain and improve services for Medicaid beneficiaries, including elderly and disabled individuals. The first time I signed onto my search engine on Monday March 9, 2018, it thrilled me to see the… read more

BFL Launches Domestic Violence & Disability Expertise Page

March 1, 2018 Advocacy, BFL News, Domestic Violence and Disabilities 2 Comments
BFL has launched a Domestic Violence and Disabilities Resources page specific to facts and information around its expertise on the topics of Domestic Violence and Disability.  Click link below to view the BFL team's culling of reports to create a critical 'Do You Know' sheet, with items like: Do you know: The number one issue of Women with Disabilities nationwide is Domestic Abuse. 80% of women with disabilities have been sexually assaulted. Increased rates of abuse by both men and women with disabilities… read more

BFL Secret Garden Program At Community Resource Fair

February 20, 2018 Advocacy, BFL News, Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities 0 Comments
Barrier Free Living's Secret Garden domestic violence program will be on hand at the Feb. 20 Community Resource Fair. The event is from 6pm-8pm at the LGBT Center, 2018 West 13th St. NYC.… read more

The Unique Challenges Encountered By Deaf Survivors Of Domestic Violence

January 25, 2018 Advocacy, Breaking Barriers in DV, Domestic Violence and Disabilities Tags: 0 Comments
Our blog contributor, Aida Colon, MSW, is a Social Worker at Barrier Free Living’s Freedom House Emergency Shelter. She graduated from Lehman College with her Master of Social Work. Prior to Freedom House she worked with cancer patients and families with children at risk of foster placement. Kindness is a language which the Deaf can hear and the Blind can see. Mark Twain For many culturally competent advocates and service providers being kind is not… read more

Pet Therapy For People With Disabilities & Survivors Of Domestic Violence

January 12, 2018 Advocacy, BFL News, Current Events, Disability News, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Shelter Tags: , 2 Comments
Barrier Free Living welcomes Blog contributor Julia Alberino. Julia retired in 2011 after more than thirty years as a health care administrator in both the public and private sectors. She was a frequent speaker at professional conferences, and co-founder of an advocacy group that worked to maintain and improve services for Medicaid beneficiaries, including elderly and disabled individuals. I’ve always been a cat person. When I moved into my lower Manhattan apartment… read more

DYCD Sexual Assault Awareness Month Youth Art Project

January 10, 2018 Advocacy, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Uncategorized 0 Comments
A call for entries is out for a DYCD Sexual Assault Awareness Month Youth Art Project. The contest is open to any teens across NYC, regardless of whether they attend a DYCD-funded after-school program or not.  New this year, DYCD will release limited edition t-shirts in April featuring youth artwork in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Teens can submit original artwork by January 26 for a chance to… read more

The Uncomfortable Conversation

January 10, 2018 Advocacy, Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities 0 Comments
The Uncomfortable Conversation grew out of the TEDx talk Sarah Beaulieu gave last year and long-time work with organizations supporting survivors of sexual violence. Since then, she's logged hundreds of hours talking to men and others and immersing herself in what makes sexual violence and harassment such a polarizing and uncomfortable topic. The most interesting discovery throughout this journey has been the realization that men and women alike have little idea how to talk about sexual… read more

Designing Accessible Resources For People With Disabilities And Deaf People

January 3, 2018 Advocacy, Disability News 0 Comments
Vera Institute of Justice offers a great tip sheet series, related to Designing Accessible Resources for people with disabilities and Deaf people. The sheet was created to help organizations plan print and digital resources that are accessible to people with disabilities and Deaf individuals. The series contains tip sheets on key aspects of materials and resources creation from beginning to end. Each tip sheet provides user-friendly information on creating accessible print materials, websites… read more

Barrier Free Living’s Secret Garden Domestic Violence Program Offers Specialized Trauma Reprocessing Therapy

January 2, 2018 Advocacy, Breaking Barriers in DV, Domestic Violence and Disabilities Tags: 2 Comments
Contributor Gabrielle is a Social Worker (LMSW) at Barrier Free Living’s Secret Garden Non-Residential Domestic Violence Program. Gabrielle began her work at Secret Garden as a social work intern in 2014. After graduating with her Master’s Degree she joined the team. Gabrielle is currently enrolled in the Trauma Studies Program at the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy and will soon be certified in the specialized therapy approach outlined in the article below.  It can be difficult… read more

Serving Male Domestic Violence Survivors In Shelter

December 28, 2017 Advocacy, BFL News, Breaking Barriers in DV, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Shelter Tags: 18 Comments
Sara Eldridge, LMSW, a Senior Social Worker at Barrier Free Living's Freedom House domestic violence shelter offers her insights on Freedom House's work with male domestic violence survivors. Sara is a licensed social worker who received a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College in 2015.  Sara has been a social worker at Freedom House since 2015, where she provides individual and group counseling to adults… read more

Disability Advocate Julia Alberino On Hilfiger Adaptive Clothing

December 14, 2017 Advocacy, Current Events 0 Comments
Barrier Free Living welcomes Blog contributor Julia Alberino. Julia retired in 2011 after more than thirty years as a health care administrator in both the public and private sectors. She was a frequent speaker at professional conferences, and co-founder of an advocacy group that worked to maintain and improve services for Medicaid beneficiaries, including elderly and disabled individuals. I’m as far from a fashionista as a person can be. Since I retired six years ago, my usual attire consists of jeans and… read more