New Visions Blog

A thought provoking and stirring article by Pearl Brownstein who writes: I am one of the unlikely homeless. I have a master’s degree and a career in publishing, and I was a co-op owner in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood—yet my 10-month-old son and I now reside in a domestic-violence shelter in an area filled with crumbling tenements and public-housing towers. Oddly enough, our two months here have been a godsend for both of us. Read full article here.… read more

A recent article by Fox News discusses the relationship of the link between domestic violence and traumatic brain injury, noting that: There have been a lot of questions about country singer Mindy McCready’s substance abuse and its association with her recent suicide. But the question we should be asking is: “Did Mindy McCready’s brain injury kill her?” It seems as though every day there is another story about a man abusing his wife or girlfriend. But we rarely hear about… read more

BFL connected with SIAD Tarragona (Town Hall of Tarragona) who organized an event under the support of the civic movement "One Billion Rising", in plaça de la Font, Tarragona last 14th february'13. SIAD sent a shout out to BFL which participated in the NYC Washington Square rising. View the video… read more

The children at BFL's Freedom House Domestic Violence emergency shelter took part in a special pajama party this month, thanks to a donation from the nationally known Pajama Program. The Pajama Program provides new pajamas and new books to children in need… read more

On V-Day’s 15th Anniversary, 14 February 2013,  the worldwide phenomenon One Billion Rising was kicked off. ONE BILLION women and those who love them joined the call to WALK OUT, DANCE, RISE UP, and DEMAND an end to domestic violence.The Washington Square Park, NYC rising supported by Barrier Free Living, Video Below… read more

BFL was awarded a $500,000 Grant for our proposal to establish protocols for Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing individuals who have survived sexual assault and/or domestic violence. This three-year award acknowledges the need to establish protocols, advocacy and coordinated services for a portion of the population that is typically under-served. With BFL as the lead agency, we have formed a Collaborative team with the Harlem Independence Center (HILC), the District Attorney’s Office of New York (DANY), St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital's Crime Victims Treat Center… read more

Barrier Free Living. Inc. Speakers Bureau was founded in May 2012 by Theresa A.H. Macintosh.  Ms. Macintosh, a survivor of Domestic Violence and an amputee, is a Mayoral Appointee of the Mayor’s Office on Domestic Violence and is a Trustee on the Board of Barrier Free Living’s Freedom House. To view the latest Speaker's Bureau Newsletter click here. Ms. Macintosh is also a member of the Safe Horizon Domestic Violence Hotline Advisory Committee, Voices of Women Organizing Project (VOW) and… read more

Eve Ensler on One Billion Rising the global phenomenon Thursday Feb. 14 to End Domestic Violence. View the clip… read more

One Billion Rising is a revolution. Today, on the planet, a billion women – one of every three women on the planet – will be raped or beaten in her lifetime. That’s ONE BILLION mothers, daughters, sisters, partners, and friends violated. V-Day REFUSES to stand by as more than a billion women experience violence. On February 14th, 2013, V-Day's 15th Anniversary, we are inviting one billion women and those who love them to walk out, DANCE, RISE UP, AND DEMAND an end… read more

The national Office of Violence Against Women has funded a collaborative effort between Barrier Free Living, the Crime Victims Treatment Center of St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center, Harlem Independent Living, CONNECT, the New York County District Attorney’s Office, to increase access to therapeutic and advocacy services for members of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community who are survivors of sexual assault and intimate partner violence.  The grant will bring all five organizations together to lend their expertise through partnership… read more

The Pajama Program, which "delivers warm sleepwear and nurturing books to children in need" has connected with BFL's Freedom House program. The program will drop its first donation this January… read more

Barrier Free Living’s Domestic Violence Program Secret Garden Offers Reiki Sessions for consumers with Practitioner Antoinette Calabretta. Certified in Reiki, Anotinette is also a Case Manager at Secret Garden. Click here for flyer. Reiki session is offered bimonthly, on Wednesdays starting February 6, 2013. For more information contact Antoinette Calabretta at (212) 533-4358. Reiki is a very specific form of energy healing, in which hands are placed… read more

A Support Group where family and loved ones of LGBTQ survivors of Intimate Partner Violence create a safe space filled with education and understanding, and share ways to support themselves, each other, and their loved ones. All sessions will be held at AVP’s Midtown Offices: 240 West 35th Street, 2nd floor. Click here for flyer. To learn more or to schedule an intake session: Call Suzy or Julia at 212-714-1184 x24. Participants must attend an intake session by February 1, 2013… read more

Court Legal Interpreting Coalition (CLIC) is offering assistance and a chance to share your experience and stories. Did you get an interpreter for your day in court? Did you understand your interpreter? Did the interpreter understand you? CLIC wants to collect your information, your experiences and any concerns you may have encountered in the legal process and court system.Tell your story. VIEW THE INFO. VIDEO HERE.… read more

An article (excerpt below) in  Jan. 14, 2013 NY Times, about Secret Garden consumer Alejandrina Cruz. Click here to read the full article. Alejandrina Cruz may be the only Bronx grandmother with a kung fu movie collection to rival that of a subway salesman laden with cartons of contraband. Ms. Cruz, 65, lived in the city shelter system for more than three years while working to repair wounds left by years of physical and emotional abuse. For the past 100… read more

Barrier Free Living Survivors Speakers Bureau, which started in May 2012, ended 2012 with the third edition of its  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

ABC News' Lauren Glassberg reports on the journey of a resident at BFL's Freedom House Emergency Shelter for survivors of domestic violence. See Grace's story here.… read more

Anne K. Markowitz, L.C.S.W., a consultant providing workshops around the topic of anger for Barrier Free Living, held a special fund raising event in her home this month, raising more than $1,000 in cash and gift cards for the residents of BFL's  Freedom House Emergency Shelter. Markowitz, who has worked in hospitals, shelters and other agencies as a consultant on domestic violence and anger issues, plans to make the fund raiser an annual event.  She was honored last year as… read more

FEGS's Center for Women and Families has a New Job Club for survivors of Family Violence.  View Info. Flyer here. The FEGS's Center for Women and Families Job Club is a FREE group for job seekers.  The Job Club offers: *       Assessment *       Resume / Cover letter assistance *       Interview skills *       Job search techniques *       Access to jobs *       Employment support and counseling If you have… read more

BFL's Secret Garden is holding its winter Money Matters group weekly on Mondays. The group guides survivors to learn strong habits and empowerment tools around issues involving finance, credit and money management (video clip at right). To  View the video here. To learn more email [email protected]… read more

In his introduction to BFL's recently launched Domestic Violence and Disability expertise web page,  President/CEO Paul Feuerstein points out that the agency has  "the largest DV intervention program in the country." Feuerstein states that: "In 1986, I hired Liz Lederman, a new graduate from NYU’s Deafness Rehabilitation Master’s Program, to join our clinic team. She had around 12 years’ experience working with disabled victims of abuse. Prior to her joining us, we had no knowledge of abuse among people with a… read more

In a letter to Freedom House Program Director Isa Martinez and her staff, a resident recently shared her gratitude at being safe and on the path to a renewed life as the holidays approach. The mother of two wrote: "Since I have been here at Freedom House I have accomplished so much. My self esteem is great and I have peace of mind knowing I am safe and there are staff who genuinely care about residents."… read more

The kids of BFL's Secret Garden and Freedom House programs created cards to thank supporters, friends and donors to the agency this season, like the one pictured by Emily, age 9.  BFL friends who post a message on our holiday page with their contact information receive a reply card from the kids.… read more

The Half the Sky Movement, which is 'cutting across platforms to ignite the change needed to put an end to the oppression of women and girls worldwide' highlighted the work of AWARE: Assisting Women Through Action, Resources and Education in a recent blog post. The article points out that AWARE  selected as their initial beneficiary Barrier Free Living Freedom House, the first nationally recognized shelter that serves disabled domestic violence victims and their families. The AWARE October… read more

Former BFL Secret Garden team member Molly Burke  Freyer co authored (with Michelle S. Ballan) the report: Self-Defense Among Women With Disabilities An Unexplored Domain, stating that 'Women with disabilities are frequent victims of domestic violence, yet scant research has examined self-protective mechanisms that could mitigate this abuse.' View the article PDF here.… read more

Women's Rights News is part of the 16 days of activism against gender violence (through Dec. 10) where: Living free from violence is a human right, yet millions of women and girls suffer disproportionately from violence both in peace and in war, at the hands of the state, in the home and community… read more

Emmy Award winning journalist Lauren Glassberg (pictured front left) visited BFL's Freedom House Emergency shelter to shoot footage for a story to air in December. Glassberg spoke with Freedom House Program Director Isa Martinez (pictured front right) and members of her team, along with BFL CEO Paul Feuerstein (pictured front right)… read more

Thanks to a generous donation from the 13th Step Group, the children of the Secret Garden program received backpacks… read more

X Factor UK Star Jamene Douglas, whose mother is a domestic violence survivor, has launched a #RaiseAwarenessForDomesticViolence campaign. His mother Mandy has started her own campaign to raise funds for victims of domestic violence. She wrote on her appeal page: “Raising awareness on the fact that Womens aid needs funding. Refuges need funding. Children need help. Cut backs have caused an uneasy ripple of monotony of unnessesary heartaches. We can’t change the… read more

The AWARE October 18th fundraiser at NYC Bar 13 to benefit Barrier Free Living’s Freedom House raised over $25,000 for disabled domestic violence victims and their families. Pictured, Paul Feuerstein, President/CEO BFL and Isa Martinez, Director, Freedom House. Visit AWARE to view event photos, donate or learn more.… read more