New Visions Blog

Held each October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is a national campaign that raises awareness about disability employment issues and celebrates the many and varied contributions of America's workers with disabilities. This year's theme is "A Strong Workforce is an Inclusive Workforce: What Can YOU Do?"… read more

In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV) will be joined Oct. 2 by a coalition of advocates, elected officials, non-profit leaders, and survivors to illuminate the signs of Times Square purple as a part of OPDV’s statewide Shine the Light on Domestic Violence Campaign. Click here for flyer Nine major Times Square billboards, including ABC Supersign, American Eagle, Bank of… read more

Click here to download the free BFL Breaking Barriers Newsletter. Articles covering the BFL Olympics, staff awards and a team members journey to India… read more

Peace Kitty, the brainchild of owner Kate Martin, has donated a custom T-shirt to the BFL Lavender & Blue Oct. 23 MegaMixer. Since opening shop, Kate has donated 10% of the profits to local animal shelters in Missouri where she operates, and was inspired by BFLs mission. "I am all about kindness and compassion, especially when it comes to animals. I am a kitty mom and have been a kitty… read more

Institute for Healing of Memories Founder Father Michael Lapsely had a launch event for his stirring new memoir, Redeeming the Past, at the United Nations Church Center in Manhattan on September 27. The Keynote Speaker was Helen Clark: Administrator of the United Nations Development Program. Lapsley, born in New Zealand, joined the Society of the Sacred Mission, and was sent to South Africa in 1973. There he became active in the anti-apartheid movement, ultimately joining the African National Congress… read more

Yoga High joined the growing list of sponsors for BFL's Lavender & Blue Mega Mixer on Oct. 23 at XES Lounge. Yoga High donated fab yoga classes as a raffle prize… read more

The famed Gleason's Gym has joined the growing list of sponsors for BFLs Lavender & Blue Mega Mixer.  The Gleason's raffle prize is an empowering boxing/self defense class… read more

Artist/Designer Scooter Laforge has donated a fab raffle prize to BFLs Lavender & Blue Oct. 23 event.  Scooter has created pieces for Debbie Harry, Iggy Pop and Karen O from Yeah Yeah Yeahs as well as Dakota Fanning and Elizabeth Olsen (for a movie with Demi Moore and Ellen Barkin called Very Good Girls coming out 2013), Carrie Mulligan (for the movie Shame).  In a recent MetroSource article, he says: "I… read more

The famed Gleason's Gym, which supports many causes through the year, has put out a call for 'All Artists needed for Art Festival ' Artists Wanted! Twenty Six have signed up so far.The Annual DUMBO Art Under The Bridge Festival will be held September 28 through 30, 2012.Over 150,000 visitors will come to DUMBO for this festival. You can be part of it or you can just come and enjoy it. Gleason's… read more

Several new sponsors have signed on for BFL's Lavender &  Blue Mega Mixer on Oct. 23 at XES Lounge including  Scooter LaForge, Desktop Studio and Peace Kitty. A giant thank you shout out from the BFL team… read more

The Women of AWARE  (Assisting Women through Action, Resources & Education) invite you to an evening of Dessert, Drinks & Dancing featuring a fabulous silent auction To benefit Barrier Free Living’s Freedom House The country’s only fully accessible emergency shelter for  disabled victims of domestic violence and their families Thursday, October 18th, 2012 8:00 pm to 11:00 pm Bar 13 121 University Place (between 13th and 14th Streets) 3rd Floor… read more

Honoring survivors, advocates and the NYPD. Star DJ. Awesome Raffle Prizes.Free Drink Tix. Tuesday Oct. 23 6-8pm. XES Lounge NYC 157 W. 24th St. (6&& Ave.) Reserve VIP Tix, Drink Tix, a chance at a fab raffle prize: [email protected]… read more

The New York Latinas Against Domestic Violence, the family of Gladys Ricart, and the 2012 Brides’ March Organizing Committee will hold  the 12th Annual Gladys Ricart and Victims of Domestic Violence Memorial Wednesday, September 26, 2012 at the Fort Washington Heights Presbyterian Church, located at 21 Wadsworth Avenue, corner of West 174th Street in Washington Heights, New York.  Gathering begins at 8:00am. The Invocation Ceremony will take place at 9am. The approximate 7mile walk begins at 10:30am sharp. This annual event… read more

Popular Community Bank recently provided Brooklyn Cyclones baseball tickets and ball caps to residents of BFL's Transitional Housing and Secret Garden programs.  Attendees enjoyed an evening of baseball and community building.  In  Cyclone news, with the season winding down, the Cyclones are on the verge of their fourth consecutive playoff berth… read more

Barrier Free Living Survivors Speakers Bureau, which started in May 2012, has released its first newsletter.  The Bureau looks  "forward to meeting your speaker needs for women with Disabilities. Our founding organizers Theresa McIntosh and Patrice C. Queen encourage your inquiries and opportunities to educate your organization, school, university or event on the issues of domestic violence and its intersection with disabilities." Info: [email protected]… read more

The Paralympics kicked off Aug. 29 in London, with events in everything from wheelchair basketball to Judo. Oscar Pistorius, (pictured) who made history by competing in the summer Olympics, will compete… read more

Philippe Croizon of France a quadruple amputee managed to swim from North America to Asia Friday in a 1 hour and 20 minutes largely thanks to specially designed flippers. Croizon had his arms and legs amputated in 1994 after he was struck by high voltage while on a rooftop. Read more… read more

A $7million request for Homeless Housing and Assistance Program (HHAP) support has been approved by the HHAP Board. "Congratulations to all who worked so hard to make that proposal a success," said BFL President/CEO Paul Feuerstein. The funding is related to BFLs newest vision, the agency's Supportive Housing Project.  HHAP provides capital grants and loans to not-for-profit corporations, charitable and religious organizations, municipalities and public corporations to acquire, construct or rehabilitate housing for persons who are homeless and… read more

South Africa's double amputee runner Oscar Pistorius, who competed in the men's 400m semi-finals at the athletics event during the London 2012 Olympic Games,  was selected to carry South Africa's flag at the closing ceremony. The inspiring athlete also prompted the Boston Marathon to announce that it would be "well-pleased" to allow runners with prosthetic legs to compete in the open division.… read more

The U.S. Census Bureau has released a new report, "Americans With Disabilities: 2010." The report finds that approximately 57 million Americans, or nearly 1 in 5, have a disability, with more than half (87 million) reporting the disability as "severe." About 4 in 10 working-age persons with a disability were employed, compared to 8 in 10 working-age persons without a disability. Adults with severe disabilities were about twice as likely as adults with non-severe disabilities to experience… read more

Oscar Pistorius, of South African, made history by becoming the first double-amputee athlete to compete in track and field at the Olympics. Full story… read more

BFL Transitional Housing program kicked off it's August Suit Up! Fund Raiser, to supply swimwear and goggles to residents so they  can participate in the Summer Aquatics Program.  Aquatics is part of the Occupational Therapy program's roster of special activities focusing on strength, stretching and community building for people with disabilities.  Video here.  Donate… read more

An article on Disability Direct News reports that Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for North Wales, Eleanor Burnham AM has today given her support to the Equality and Human Rights Commission Inquiry to examine how disabled people, their family, friends and carers who have experienced harassment have been supported, or not, by public authorities… read more

Children with disabilities are four times more likely than typically developing kids to be victims of violence, according to a first-of-its-kind global analysis, reports the disability scoop. In a review of 20 years worth of data, researchers found that more than a quarter of children with disabilities have been exposed to some type of violence, be it physical, sexual, emotional abuse or neglect… read more

On Monday July 30 the Dept of Labor is getting the word out about issues such as rights in the workplace, discrimination, and reasonable accommodations to the disability community. Jacob K. Javits Federal BuildingConference Center – 6th Floor26 Federal PlazaNew York , NY  10278 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM Access to Event Begins at 1:00PM.    Click here for info… read more

The UN Radio reports that children with disabilities are four times more likely to experience violence than non-disabled children, according to a study published by the World Health Organization… read more

Natasha’s Justice Project is working to end the national backlog of unprocessed rape kits and bring justice to sexual assault survivors. Media coverage of Natasha’s Justice Project includes the NY Times, CNN and NPR among others. Visit the NJP site to take action… read more

Pam Hall, a former resident of BFL's Transitional Housing program, won Miss Wheelchair NY 2012 and is set to compete in the nationals, Miss Wheelchair America. The Ms. Wheelchair America Pageant is a yearly event that " highlights the diversity and advocacy of all women."  To help Pam get raise funds to get to the nationals, click here… read more

BFL's Transitional Housing program kicked off its water aquatics class for residents, lead by the Occupational Therapy team. The Hamilton Fish pool annually donates pool time for the weekly session through the summer… read more

Independence Care System, dedicated to the health and well being of adults with physical disabilities and senior adults, will hold its annual art show and a free reception at ICS’s Brooklyn Center in downtown Brooklyn. July 25, 4pm-8pm. 25 Elm Place, 5th Floor Brooklyn, NY 11201.… read more