New Visions Blog

When Kira Kazantsev (Miss New York) was crowned Miss America 2015, it was not only a win for the Big Apple, but for survivors of domestic violence nationwide. Kira chose domestic violence as her platform and together with the Miss America Organization has launched a bold #VOWtoEndIt campaign during October’s Domestic Violence (DV) Awareness Month. Barrier Free Living caught up with Kira to talk about her platform, her passion… read more

Sorenson Communication launched a new Videophone Communication booth for Deaf/HOH participants at Barrier Free Living's Secret Garden Domestic Violence program in October. Sorenson's mission is to "empower the deaf and hard-of-hearing community to communicate with both deaf and hearing family, friends or business contacts using video relay service." Nicolyn Plummer, Secret Garden Social Worker, Services for the Deaf, organized the event, attended by staff and participants of the program. Pictured… read more

Goldman Sachs’ Community TeamWorks (CTW) supported Barrier Free Living's Freedom House emergency shelter this past year through a variety of volunteer initiatives, including a summer BBQ and  trips to the Bronx Zoo, Victoria Gardens, and the Natural History Museum. CTW released its 2014 Impact Report, thanking the "nearly 900 community partners who engaged our volunteers in over 1,580 service projects this year. Through this partnership, more than 25,000 Goldman Sachs volunteers contributed over 125,000 hours of service to… read more

The  BFL Speaker's Bureau will host Moving Beyond Shame a special Domestic Violence Awareness Month event on Oct. 7, celebrating survivors of domestic violence who have moved beyond shame and found hope. Special guests include Victor Calise, Commissioner, Mayor's Office for People With Disabilities;Rosemonde Pierre-Louis, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence; along with humanitarian/advocate Brett Scudder; writer Claire Cappetta; BFL CEO Paul Feuerstein; and Speaker's Bureau founder Theresa McIntosh. The BFL Speakers Bureau was founded in May… read more

The Washington Post Reports: It turns out that domestic violence against women doesn't just do short-term damage to a victim's health. It's also associated with diseases, traumas and illnesses that can last a lifetime. Women who have fallen victim to domestic violence are 80 percent more likely to suffer a stroke, 70 percent more likely to have heart disease, 70 percent more likely to become heavy drinkers, and 60 percent more likely to become asthmatic than women who have not, … read more

Barrier Free Living's Scott Hess speaks to Human Services Council NewsNViews Radio show about the agency's new Project Give Back.(Scott begins at 17 minute mark) Hear the podcast.… read more

Living on the streets and battling addiction, Lourdes found help and new hope at Barrier Free Living's Transitional Housing program, which works with homeless people with disabilities. After working with her case manager and the BFL housing specialist, today Lourdes is moving into her own home and planning to go back to school to fulfill her dream of being a counselor… read more

By Cynthia Amodeo, Director of Family Services, Barrier Free Living’s Freedom House Emergency Shelter. July was Purposeful Parenting month, which led to a flurry of articles, Facebook posts and twitter bites regarding the concept.  In general, Purposeful Parenting aims to build healthy relationships with children, to understand a child’s development and to help them grow in a way that emphasizes their potential.  Being “purposeful” in parenting can include meeting a child’s essential needs (bathing, feeding) or involve more complicated issues of… read more

Howard Cain at National Environmental, which supplies janitorial materials to Freedom House, donated uniform shirts to the maintenance team in support of the program's mission. John Macias, Facility Manager at Freedom House, said the new shirts featuring the agency logo were a great addition to team building for his hard working staff.… read more

First featured on the BFL New Visions Blog in October 2012 Alex Minsky (image by Tim Cullis) is featured in the August 2014 issue of Out Magazine. Out Reports: Alex Minsky was just a young Marine, less than a month into his first tour in Afghanistan in 2009, when his body was brutally ravaged by a roadside bomb. Minsky lost his leg and fell into a 47-day coma. While in recovery… read more

Barrier Free Living is holding its annual Staff Appreciation Awards Friday Sept. 12. Staff are honored for outstanding work. Categories range from Best Leadership to Best Sense of Humor. Members of all BFL programs gather for the celebration, which culminates with a special rendition of Family Feud… read more

Barrier Free Living kicked off its new Project Give Back, where former residents "give back" by working on a project related to the shelter. Thomas, a former resident, (pictured and in video at top of pressroom page) is painting a dynamic, inspirational mural on the patio of the Transitional Housing program.… read more

During the 2014 summer all agency Town Hall meeting, Innovation Awards were presented to Aida Colon (Freedom House, pictured) for her creation of the Dare to Dream Event, and Aaron Scott (Transitional Housing) for his out of the box thinking during recent corporate volunteer days. CEO Paul Feuerstein presented the awards, applauding the team members' creativity and ability to stretch the boundaries of traditional thinking on the job.… read more

Gerald Francese has been elected Barrier Free Living Chairman of the Board. He had previously served as Vice-Chair. Mr. Francese concentrates his legal practice in financial services, private equity, corporate finance, and bank and investment advisor regulation.  Mr. Francese has managed businesses and legal teams involved in all aspects of investing and investment management in over 40 countries across the Americas, Europe, Latin America and Asia Pacific.… read more

Working with the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, BFL welcomed 25 volunteers to the Transitional Housing program as part of AON Global Service Day on June 12, 2014. The hard-working volunteers painted and refurbished a lounge, offices and a garden area for residents of the shelter.… read more

Barrier Free Living welcomes new Board Member Bernard M. Holand, CPA, PFS. Mr. Holand applies over thirty-five years of technical experience and practical judgment to counsel companies from start up ventures to established enterprises. As a Personal Financial Specialist (PFS), he counsels clients on risk and investment management, retirement, insurance, tax and estate planning. Mr. Holand's diverse base of clients is comprised of professional service firms, broker dealers, other financial service companies… read more

Working with the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, Barrier Free Living (BFL) welcomed volunteers from Deloitte for Deloitte Impact Day on June 6, 2014. This year marked Deloitte’s 15th annual IMPACT Day, a celebration of a longstanding commitment to communities. Tens of thousands of Deloitte personnel volunteer on more than 800 service projects in 80 communities. The hard-working group at BFL painted walls, hung new blinds and art and… read more

The Red Cross Club at New Exploration Into Science Technology + Math high school donated books to the programs of Barrier Free Living. Books will be given to the children of participants at the Secret Garden Domestic Violence program for summer reading… read more

Over several months, Andres Serrano has engaged with homeless individuals in New York City, creating a series of large-scale photographic portraits called Residents of New York, a site-specific public art project which takes a look at the many faces of homelessness and poverty in New York City. Starting May 19 and running for four weeks through June 16, 2014, his photographs will transform distinct locations around Washington Square, including a full occupation of the subway station at West 4th Street as… read more

The Medical Assistance Group from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, China, visited Barrier Free Living this May and met with agency CEO/Founder Paul Feuerstein. The group toured the main office and discussed BFL's decades of work with people with disabilities, and the growth and lasting power of the agency's mission.… read more

May 2014: The Link Between Domestic Violence and Pregnancy By Cynthia Amodeo, Director of Family Services, Barrier Free Living’s Freedom House Emergency Shelter. Cynthia is a licensed mental health counselor who graduated Teachers College, Columbia University with her Master of Education and Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology.  Cynthia has been working at Freedom House since 2008 first as the children’s counselor, then Coordinator and now Director of Family Services.  Prior to Freedom House she worked with children and families impacted by… read more

BFL's Secret Garden staff and participants gathered for the Celebration of Women on May 8. Dame Lori Sutherland (pictured at right with Secret Garden Director Georgette Delinois), hosted the Soulfull Closet event this year which benefited Secret Garden, and was the featured keynote guest. Sutherland wowed the crowd and the participants enjoyed lunch and activities.… read more

View Barrier Free Living's special Mother's Day Message!… read more

Hearts of Gold, which sponsors BFL's Freedom House Emergency Shelter,  was featured on the May 6th TODAY Show (NBC) in a special segment in honor of Mother’s Day entitled HOPE TO IT. The Hearts of Gold mission is to “foster sustainable change in lifestyle and levels of self-sufficiency for homeless mothers and their children. ” Learn more.… read more

Today, the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) voted to enact a 30 cent surcharge in a plan to make 50 percent of all New York City cabs wheelchair accessible by the year 2020. The surcharge will apply to all taxicab rides beginning in the year 2015 in order to fund the purchase and conversion of accessible cabs. The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), the nation’s largest disability rights organization, lauded the move as an important step… read more

In March, Georgette Delinois, Program Director at BFL's Secret Garden, was part of a group from St. Anastasia church in Teaneck NJ that joined the Mobile Mission 4 Haiti on a Medical/Dental/Mental Health mission. The group delivered adult and children’s underwear, dolls, Enfamil, Ensure, Similac, vitamins and energy bars. The doctors saw over two thousand people… read more

Dare To Dream, a Spring Boutique showcasing products created and sold by Freedom House Emergency Shelter Residents drew an overflow crowd of supporters on April 17. This special invite only event, attended by residents of the domestic violence program as well as BFL Board Membes and Community Partners, was the finale of an entrepreneurial workshop and could be the first step towards a lifelong business dream. Guest speakers included New York University… read more

Generous donations throughout the year (like the toys pictured, from supporter Rachel Adams) bring joy and hope to the children of Barrier Free Living's (BFL) Domestic Violence programs. To learn more about how to support, volunteer or participate in BFL events email [email protected].… read more

RedRover, a national nonprofit organization based in Sacramento, California, and Amie’s Place Foundation, a Foundation that funds organizations that create programs dedicated to keeping families and pets together in times of crisis, have partnered to create co-sheltered housing for families and pets at domestic violence shelters across the country. This first-of-its-kind grant from Amie’s Place Foundation will provide $6,000 to RedRover’s Safe Housing grants program in 2013 and $3,000 to each family violence shelter that applies and qualifies for an… read more

Adopt A Mom will deliver gifts to mothers at Barrier Free Living's domestic violence programs this May, bringing joy and hope to the residents and consumers. Adopt a Mom is dedicated to raising awareness of domestic violence against mothers and supporting efforts to better their own lives and those of their children. The Adopt a Mom program started in 2010 as a grassroots effort to raise money to… read more