New Visions Blog

Barrier Free Living's Freedom House domestic violence shelter held a Domestic Violence Awareness Month dinner for residents and their children this month. Celebrating 12 years in New York City, Freedom House is a domestic violence shelter (90-180 day stay) for women, men and children. We serve both families and single individuals with or without disabilities. We have worked with people from 40 states and internationally and we welcome all members of the LGBTQ… read more

During October's Domestic Violence Awareness Month, residents and participants at our domestic violence programs will be sharing their work, created during art expression workshops at Freedom House and Secret Garden. We will be posting the art through the month to celebrate their strength and courage. At top art by EA. Below, first image, art by EA, second and last image art by CA, "building blocks of love" from CC… read more

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 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

Team members of Barrier Free Living's domestic violence programs walked in this year's Bride's March on September 26. Check out our march coverage on instagram: bfl_newyork 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 in New Jersey on September 26, 1999, by her abusive former… read more

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

The kids at Barrier Free Living's Freedom House domestic violence shelter took a special trip to see Broadway's School of Rock, thanks to support from The East Harlem Community Partnership Program/Union Settlement. Staff and 18 kids took in the sites of Time Square and enjoyed a matinee performance of the musical extravaganza, which is about a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school who discovers his students musical… read more

The child care team organized a trip for the young tenants of Barrier Free Living's Freedom House domestic violence shelter this month to the Bronx New York Zoo. Celebrating 12 years in New York City, Freedom House is a domestic violence shelter (90-180 day stay) for women, men and children. View a short film about Freedom House here. … read more

The Pursuit of Justice, a film by Greg Gyers and an award winner at this July's Colorado International Activism Film, has launched a new poster for the documentary. The Pursuit of Justice tracks the activities of the Disability and Guardianship Project, launched by Spectrum Institute. The project over the past few years has advocated for guardianship and conservatorship reform in California, Oregon, Washington, Texas, Missouri, Michigan, Pennsylvania and many other… read more

The Barrier Free Living Occupational Therapy (OT) team at BFL Apartments in the Bronx NY kick off the new "Fierce Femmes" women's empowerment group Friday, July 27. The purpose of the 4-week group is to promote social participation, physical activity, and positive self-regard. Tenants of BFL Apartments, which serves survivors of domestic violence with disabilities, will learn choreography to a new song each week. Week one will feature choreography to "7/11" by… read more

Barrier Free Living team member Nicolyn Plummer will present on Elder Abuse at the Deaf Wellness and Recreation Center in Brooklyn, NY at 10 a.m. on August 31. Nicolyn is a Senior Social Worker and the Coordinator of Outreach and Advocacy at Barrier Free Living. Learn more here.  Learn more about the Barrier Free Living Deaf Services Team here. Read our recent blog story about Elder Abuse here. … read more

Barrier Free Living team member Nicolyn Plummer presented at the 54th Biennial National Association of the Deaf Conference in Hartford, Connecticut on July 5, 2018 Nicolyn co-hosted the session Does Advocacy Still Exist?  with DeAnna Swope. The workshop explored  "the complexities of the systematic injustice that affects those who do harm. We will discuss in depth about how the system fails those who do harm and how do we start from there." Nicolyn is a Senior Social Worker and the Coordinator of Outreach and… read more

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 members will march in this year's Disability Pride Parade on July 15. The parade begins in Madison Square Park and marches to Union Square Park. The theme of this year's parade is express yourself! Gather in Madison Square park at 10am for an 11am kick off. More info. here. … read more

Tenants at Barrier Free Living Apartments are coming together to plan a trip to the iconic Coney Island amusement park this summer. Barrier Free Living Apartments offers permanent homes to survivors of domestic violence with disabilities, both singles and families, with support services. Past community building events include a garden club, occupational therapy workshops and a summer staff/tenant BBQ… read more

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

The newly launched Give One organization worked with the tenant’s Garden Club at BFL Apartments this April to spruce up the 6th floor roof. The volunteers and the tenants cleaned the roof, planted seeds and flowers and set up the area for spring. "Watching the tenants work side by side with the volunteers was an amazing experience and a powerful example of community building," says Scott Hess, Director of Communications who… read more

Barrier Free Living's Freedom House domestic violence shelter expressed gratitude for recent toy donations, and was featured in the Second Chance June 2018 Toy Blog Toy Tales: Giving Comfort and Expressing Feelings (below).  Our ongoing series of #ToyTales goes beyond the day of toy drop-off and takes a look at how donated toys change the lives and outlook of those who receive them. Today's Toy Tales is about Freedom House/Barrier Free Living NYC, a fully accessible domestic abuse… read more

Barrier Free Living's Chief Program Officer, Cynthia Amodeo, was part of the Support Center's 2018 Leadership Collaborative this spring (photo above) which was offered in partnership with American Express. "As a leader in a non profit there are a lot of demands on your time. This program is important to step away from the day to day and evaluate your leadership style, learn how to fine tune your skills, and network… read more

     Barrier Free Living Apartments had a summer kick-off BBQ on June 7, for tenants and staff at the supportive housing complex in the Bronx. The BFL team grilled and served a buffet. Music, dancing and gift bags were handed out. BFL Apartments offer fifty family units for families with a disabled head of household who is… read more

https://vimeo.com/274112525… read more

Barrier Free Living's Secret Garden community based domestic violence program continues its "Tiramisu" Occupational Therapy groups for participants on Thursday, 6/14 and 6/21 from 10am-12pm. Tiramisu means "you lift me up" in Italian. The theme of the group is to build self-empowerment; activities will include arts and crafts and open discussions of inspirational videos and quotes we will analyze. For more information about Secret Garden and this group call (212)… read more

Barrier Free Living (BFL) celebrates LGBTQ Pride month this June. BFL works with members of the LGBTQ community year round in our shelters and programs. The month of June was chosen for LGBTQ Pride Month to commemorate the Stonewall riots, which occurred at the end of June 1969. As a result, many pride events are held during this month to recognize the impact LGBTQ people have had in the world. Learn more about NYC Pride month… read more

Joanne M. Cherisma, author of  I Never Thought I Would Be A Statistic, will have a Book Signing and Launch Party on June 23, 2016 from 5:30p.m. to 7:30 at Keiko Studios located at 212-26 Jamaica Ave, Jamaica, NY 11428. The author shares her testimony of how she overcame an abusive relationship.… read more

This May,  Theater of War Productions, in partnership with the Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence, presented a dramatic reading of two scenes from Tennessee Williams’ Pulitzer Prize winning play, A Streetcar Named Desire for an audience of  middle and high school students. Although Barrier Free Living’s primary focus is providing direct services to survivors of domestic violence with a disability, the agency is… read more

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. The first weekend in May was an exciting time for people with disabilities, their caregivers, relatives, friends, and advocates. That… read more

https://vimeo.com/271126831… read more

The New Jersey Coalition to End Sexual Assault (NJCASA) is hosting a 5K event in Asbury Park, NJ Saturday May 5, 2018 as a way to support statewide social change efforts to ensure survivors are supported and affirmed. Check-in begins at 8:00 AM in Asbury Park at Convention Hall; corner of 5th and Ocean Avenue. Event begins at 9:00 AM. Info.… read more

Barrier Free Living was part of the  Silent Tears: Disability, Violence And Resilience of Women Survivors Globally multi-media exhibition and panel on April 24 at the Union Theological Seminary in New York City. Barrier Free Living Apartments resident Gigi spoke at the event, and Barrier Free Living Secret Garden program director Jules (in photo above) was on the panel of speakers. Read more about the event here.  View the BFL Minute with Silent Tears… read more

Barrier Free Living's Secret Garden domestic violence program will be participating in the Next Steps Fair on Thursday, April 26, part of Turn Off The Violence Week at St. John's University.  Turn Off the Violence Week includes the Clothesline Project, and is a week of empowerment and awareness regarding sexual violence in the community. The Clothesline Project started in 1990 to address the issue of violence against women. It… read more