Volunteers from Moody’s served fruit smoothies, made de-stress balls and talked up the benefits of healthy living at Barrier Free Living’s (BFL) Wellness Fair this June.

The FPWA connected the company to BFL, and Moody’s sponsored the fair with a charitable donation. The Moody’s volunteers joined the agency’s Occupational Therapy team which coordinated the event, along with LeShan Gaulman, shelter director.

Activities included chair yoga, booths with information about vitamins, ways to alleviate stress, and smoking cessation, along with a very popular fresh fruit smoothie area.

“Watching the volunteers interacting and sharing information with our shelter residents was incredibly inspiring,” says Scott Hess, BFL Director of Communications. “It was really a joyful event rich in information. Our OT team did a knock out job, and the volunteers brought joy and light to the shelter.”

BFL’s transitional housing program serves formerly homeless people with disabilities.

Volunteers from Moody’s made-over the Freedom House game room this month, brightening the space for children and teens at the domestic violence shelter.

Working with the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies (FPWA), the Moody’s volunteers painted, hung a wall mural and put together a foosball table. The work was made possible due to a grant from Moody’s in line with its corporate service day.

Renowned interior designer Kyle Timothy Blood is contributing his expertise to the Aon Global Service Day staff lounge rennovation project at Barrier Free Living on June 11.

Inspired by the agency’s mission and the passion of it’s hard-working team, Kyle and junior designer Haylee Ressa took on the project, supporting the work of Aon Global Service Day. In 2014, Aon colleagues around the world united to support local charities during the firm’s annual day of volunteerism, with over 170 charities served in over 40 countries around the world.

Check out the before (photo below) and the design drafts of after renovation here and here.

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.

Popular Community Bank donated Brooklyn Cyclones Aug. 31 game tickets to the residents of BFL’s Transitional Housing shelter, and to the agency’s Secret Garden program for survivors of domestic violence with disabilities.

BFL’s Freedom House Emergency Shelter held the annual Handprints of the Heart event this May, working with volunteers from Goldman Sachs. Resident families and children took part in crafts, empowerment activities and enjoyed a live performance.

On Thursday, May 16th the HOPE Program hosted its second annual A Taste of HOPE event, a celebration of tastings, toasts and transformations at Steelcase in Manhattan.

Barrier Free Living’s HR/Organizational Development Team attended, joining a packed crowd at the stunning Steelcase venue overlooking Columbus Circle. Guests included the founder of HOPE Deborah Antoine, (pictured with Dr. Clarel Antoine).

Taste of Hope featured a host of award-winning partners, including: Inside Park at St. Bart’s, Murray’s Cheese, Neuman’s Kitchen, Chelsea Market Baskets, Jimmy’s 43 and many others.

HOPE empowers New Yorkers living in poverty to achieve economic self-sufficiency through employment and advancement. Our innovative programs and individualized services help those with the deepest barriers connect with the workforce with results among the strongest in the industry.

The residents of  BFL’s Transitional Housing program, formerly homeless men and women with disabilities, were treated to a sumptuous May Day feast this month. The 24 women of the shelter received special Mother’s Day gift bags courtesy of The Body Shop.

BFL’s Occupational Therapy team coordinated the event, which included a baking class and cupcake decorating workshop. The Body Shop choose Transitional Housing as the featured charity in it’s ‘Another For a Mother’ drive where customers were encouraged to buy and donate items to shelter programs.

The Body Shop at New York City’s Grand Central (420 Lexington Ave) has chosen BFL’s Transitional Housing program as its charity partner for Mother’s Day. The Transitional Housing Program is a shelter for formerly homeless men and women with disabilities who are forging  a new life.

Body Shop’s “Another for a Mother” campaign encourages customers to purchase items for their mother or loved one, as well as an additional gift to support another deserving mother at  a local shelter.

The Grand Central location will donate the gifts to the women of Transitional Housing.  A core value of the Body Shop is boosting self esteem with its  “beauty with a heart” theme, said shop manager Robert Hall.

Stop by Body Shop to donate to BFL through May 11, 2013.

BFL’s Occupational Therapy Program Coordinator Patricia Motus,  OTR/L,  and Christina Marino, MS, OTR/L presented “Occupational Therapy with Survivors of Domestic Violence: An Initial Cross Case Analysis for Determining Factors of Success in a Shelter Setting” at the The American Occupational Therapy Association’s 93rd Annual Conference & Expo in San Diego April 25-28.

The AOTA Annual Conference & Expo is “the most dynamic gathering  for occupational therapy professionals each year… Stimulating Presidential and keynote addresses, hundreds of focused educational sessions, exceptional speakers, valuable connections, and an Expo brimming  with state of the art products and opportunities are all under one roof  in San Diego.”

More info. click here.

Click here to view the BFL Presentation.