New Visions Blog

Blog contributor Sara Eldridge, LMSW,  is a Senior Social Worker at Barrier Free Living’s Freedom House domestic violence shelter. Sara is a licensed social worker who received a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College in 2015.  Sara has been a social worker at Freedom House since 2015, where she provides individual and group counseling to adults, children and adolescents. Prior to Freedom House she worked with… read more

Student Tutors from Stuyvesant High School and Bronx Science High School are working with both children and adults this winter at Barrier Free Living apartments, a complex in the Bronx offering permanent homes to survivors of domestic violence with disabilities. The tutors meet weekly with elementary school kids, offering one on one work in areas like math and science. They also work with adults who are pursuing their high school equivalency… read more

Our blog contributor, Aida Colon, MSW, is a Social Worker at Barrier Free Living’s Freedom House Emergency Shelter. She graduated from Lehman College with her Master of Social Work. Prior to Freedom House she worked with cancer patients and families with children at risk of foster placement. Kindness is a language which the Deaf can hear and the Blind can see. Mark Twain For many culturally competent advocates and service providers being kind is not… read more

As an Emergency Shelter for survivors of domestic violence with disabilities, safety planning is a critical part of the mission of Barrier Free Living’s Freedom House. Safety planning can range from learning about internet related safety for a resident of the shelter, committing to living in a confidential domestic violence location, or following an existing safety protocol so that staff and residents alike remain safe and supported. During Hurricane Sandy, the Freedom House staff was prepared to go above and… read more

Barrier Free Living features a domestic violence related safety feature on our website. A purple “escape” button is located in the top right hand corner of every page of the site. The button conceals the fact that an individual is on a website offering services to domestic violence survivors. According to the team at our domestic violence counseling program, Secret Garden, the most dangerous time for a domestic violence survivor is when that individual attempts to leave the abusive relationship. The… read more

Traumatic Brain Injury and DV Freedom House looks at Traumatic Brain Injury as it relates to Domestic Violence. According to the Center for Disease Control a Traumatic Brain Injury is “a bump, blow or jolt to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal function of the brain.” It is important as professionals working in the field of domestic violence (DV) that we understand Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) as it relates to our work with survivors. Many domestic violence victims who… read more

According to the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, or calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack. There is another type of… read more

July is National 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 socialization, discipline, and communication. Purposeful Parenting concepts include: Structure and order Responsibility and… read more

Barrier Free Living welcomes 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. I’ve always been a cat person. When I moved into my lower Manhattan apartment… read more

A call for entries is out for a DYCD Sexual Assault Awareness Month Youth Art Project. The contest is open to any teens across NYC, regardless of whether they attend a DYCD-funded after-school program or not.  New this year, DYCD will release limited edition t-shirts in April featuring youth artwork in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Teens can submit original artwork by January 26 for a chance to… read more

The Uncomfortable Conversation grew out of the TEDx talk Sarah Beaulieu gave last year and long-time work with organizations supporting survivors of sexual violence. Since then, she's logged hundreds of hours talking to men and others and immersing herself in what makes sexual violence and harassment such a polarizing and uncomfortable topic. The most interesting discovery throughout this journey has been the realization that men and women alike have little idea how to talk about sexual… read more

Contributor Gabrielle is a Social Worker (LMSW) at Barrier Free Living’s Secret Garden Non-Residential Domestic Violence Program. Gabrielle began her work at Secret Garden as a social work intern in 2014. After graduating with her Master’s Degree she joined the team. Gabrielle is currently enrolled in the Trauma Studies Program at the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy and will soon be certified in the specialized therapy approach outlined in the article below.  It can be difficult… read more

For the third year in a row, Spread the Sparkle hosted a spectacular holiday party for the residents and tenants of Barrier Free Living's programs for survivors of domestic violence with disabilities, and their families. Dozens of kids received gifts from Santa and participated in games and activities, while adults enjoyed the photo booth and received gift bags.  Spread the Sparkle's team of volunteers provided a sumptuous buffet and entertainment… read more

Sara Eldridge, LMSW, a Senior Social Worker at Barrier Free Living's Freedom House domestic violence shelter offers her insights on Freedom House's work with male domestic violence survivors. Sara is a licensed social worker who received a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College in 2015.  Sara has been a social worker at Freedom House since 2015, where she provides individual and group counseling to adults… read more

A group of chefs brought food and joy to the tenants at Barrier Free Living (BFL) Apartments in the Bronx, NY last month. BFL Apartments offers permanent homes to survivors of domestic violence with disabilities and their families, as well as to single adults. We caught up with Zack Pozzoboni, who organized the volunteer driven event, to find out what drew him to Barrier Free Living, and to ask… read more

Holidays can traditionally be a time of family gatherings and celebrations. For individuals and families at Barrier Free Living’s Freedom House Emergency Shelter who have left an abusive situation, maintaining safety during the holiday season is crucial. As an agency, Barrier Free Living provides counseling, case management, shelter and housing to people with disabilities, including survivors of domestic violence and homeless individuals. Freedom House is our emergency domestic violence… read more

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today unveiled the first proposal of the 2018 State of the State: remove all firearms from those who commit domestic violence crimes. Given the inextricable link between domestic violence and lethal gun violence, this legislation will require all domestic violence crime convictions, including misdemeanors, to result in the immediate removal of all fire arms and will add measures to keep firearms out of the hands of those who commit domestic violence with the goal of preventing… read more

Community Capital Management recently announced that Barrier Free Living Apartments is the winner of its first annual impact awards for 2017 and will receive a $10,000 donation. CCM’s “Impact Awards 2017” featured five impactful bond stories during the year with participants voting for their favorite over the last month. The contest recognizes fixed income impact investments and their multiple positive environmental and social outcomes. Barrier Free Living Apartments was designed and built for 50 families with a disabled… read more

People with Disabilities Experience Domestic Violence, Too: An FAQ Barrier Free Living welcomes writer Sarah Kim who will be contributing articles about domestic violence and disabilities. Sarah Kim: formerly a writer at @dosomething | now: graduate student at Columbia Journalism School | social media: @sarahskkim… read more

Barrier Free Living's Secret Garden team members participated in this November's annual Barrier Free Justice Conference. The conference explored the intersection between disability and elder abuse, with a focus on victimization within the elderly population. Presenters and panelists discussed recognizing the signs of abuse, how to navigate and facilitate conversations about disabilities within the geriatric population, as well as the importance of caregiver support. Additionally, the conference explored the current misconceptions about elder abuse, what resources (social and legal) are currently in… read more

The Church of the Holy Trinity is gathering toys and gifts for the kids at Barrier Free Living's (BFL) Freedom House emergency shelter in New York City again this year. The church has a sign up display (photo above, with the Rev. John Beddingfield) and is accepting donations this month. At its programs and shelters, BFL works with families and hundreds of children each year. Donations of toys and gifts from groups… read more

Barrier Free Living held Halloween themed events at its programs, drawing families, kids and staff in community building activities. At BFL Apartments, the tenant advisory group worked with the occupational therapy team to create a lively party space and spook house for dozens of kids living at the permanent housing complex in the Bronx. BFL works with survivors of domestic violence with disabilities, and their families as well as homeless individuals with disabilities.… read more

Barrier Free Living's Freedom House team held a bake-off as a community building way to honor October's Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Staff members from various departments donated a freshly baked pastry, which was judged by co-workers. There were seven "delicious" entries, but the Sweet Potato Pie baked by Ashlee from Occupational Therapy took top honors.… read more

The front desk staff of Barrier Free Living's  Freedom House program hosted its second annual Go Pink Day on Friday October 20. Resident Aide Manager Linette Holmes shares that "This is the second year Freedom House is remembering all those that are survivors of Breast Cancer and those that have lost the fight." Freedom House staff wore pink to commemorate this special cause and a GO PINK TABLE was the focal point of the celebration… read more

The Domestic Violence project, an innovative public health initiative, presents a dramatic reading from Tennessee Williams' classic play A Streetcar Named Desire, starring Daphne Rubin Vega, Glenn Davis, and Marjolaine Goldsmith on Oct. 12, 7pm, Polo Grounds Police Athletic League Community Center at 3005 Frederick Douglas Blvd, NYC. The reading is a catalyst for a town hall discussion about the impact of domestic violence. Reserve seats for this free event at: streetcarplogrounds.evenbrite.com The reading is directed… read more

Barrier Free Living (BFL) has begun work on an updated version of its mission film, depicting the agency's growth and evolution since the original film debuted in 2012. The film, created in collaboration with DGNL , is a visual representation of the agency' s mission, vision and values. The new version will focus on the stories of the people that the agency works with in its programs, shelters… read more

This September, the occupational therapy team at Barrier Free Living's Secret Garden held a "seeds of hope" creative therapy and wellness group. Attendees painted containers and potted seeds within them. These “seeds of hope” represent a source of inspiration. The members discussed ways in which they  can strive to grow alongside the plants they created, and how that relates to their aspirations for the future… read more

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Every year the Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence partners with NYC City Council to raise awareness about services and resources for victims and survivors of intimate partner violence on NYC GO Purple Day. This year’s statewide “Wear Purple Day” is Thursday, October 19. If you want to volunteer please contact the first district to join the effort in your community. Volunteers will: · Hand out… read more

Barrier Free Living team members Cynthia Amodeo (Chief Program Officer) and Sara Eldridge (social worker, Freedom House, pictured) will present "Exploring the Intersection of Domestic Violence, Disability and Trauma" at the Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma 22nd International Summit in San Diego, CA September 21-27, 2017. This year's summit is titled "Building Peace by Linking Policy, Practice, Research & Advocacy to End Violence." The Institute on Violence, Abuse and… read more

As the mother of a child with autism, Linette Holmes was drawn to the passionate mission of Barrier Free Living. She joined the Freedom House team as a per diem Resident Aide, then soon after became a Resident Aide manager. We caught up with Linette to chat about her journey at BFL, what she brings to the management team, and her goal to learn to surf. BFL: What first drew you to work at Barrier… read more