New Visions Blog

A Fair Shake For Youth has launched a 4-week pet therapy program for the children living at Barrier Free Living's Freedom House Domestic Violence Shelter. There are over 50 children living at the shelter.  Pet therapy is used as a tool to build esteem and foster confidence in the youths, many who are recovering from trauma. "The children residing at Freedom House have left behind their familiar environment and loved… read more

The Berkeley Carroll School held a Halloween costume drive October 26, collecting trick or treat outfits to donate to the children living at Barrier Free Living's Freedom House Domestic Violence Shelter. Heather Borstein, who helped organize the drive says "We love the work that BFL does. It's our privilege to help others enjoy Halloween as much as we do." The costumes will… read more

The Upper Manhattan Domestic Violence Services Collaborative will Shine the Light – Harlem on Monday, October 26 at 5:30pm. Join domestic violence advocates, survivors and allies, as they bring more awareness to domestic violence in their communities. The event begins with a walk through Harlem, beginning from various starting points in the community, culminating at the State Office Building, which will be lit purple. Flyer here.… read more

NEWS12 reports:Local leaders are raising awareness about domestic violence to help keep families safe. There have been new public service announcements inside taxi cabs and online, but Commissioner Rose Pierre-Louis and others are taking the message to the streets. The activists and local leaders passed out fliers and information Thursday as a first step in combating the city's domestic violence issue. Read the story and watch the video here.… read more

The BFL Speakers Bureau and The Voices of Women Organizing Project (VOW) held their domestic violence awareness month event "We Are Victors" on October 8. A standing room only crowd were empowered by inspirational spoken word, dance and several special guest speakers. Theresa McIntosh, Coordinator of the Speaker's Bureau created the event, working with Raquel Singh, Executive Director of VOW. Speakers included: Paul Feuerstein, President/CEO BFL; Gale Brewer, Manhattan Borough… read more

Barrier Free Living's Secret Garden will be presenting at the The South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (SCCADVASA) Annual Domestic Violence Conference November 2-3, 2015 in Columbia, SC. Secret Garden Team member Jules Perkel, LCSW will be part of a roundtable covering "Perspectives of Disability & Domestic Violence: Available resources and overcoming challenges of accessibility." The South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault is a statewide coalition made up of the 23 domestic violence and sexual assault advocacy organizations in… read more

New York City’s Housing Development Corporation (HDC) and the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) joined Barrier Free Living (BFL), Alembic Community Development and Foxy Management to celebrate the grand opening of Barrier Free Living Residences for Families and Individuals in the Mott Haven neighborhood of the Bronx. The project reflects the City’s ongoing efforts to expand supportive housing for its most vulnerable residents, and is BFL’s… read more

The Barrier Free Living Speakers Bureau in partnership with the Voices of Women Organizing Project (VOW) will hold its "We are Victors!” event in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness on October 8. We Are Victors will "share the voices and stories of survivors who are Victors in reclaiming their lives free of abuse."  The event will feature speakers, a dance and the song “Take A Walk In My Shoes.” Hors d'oeuvres and refreshments will be served. To confirm your attendance or for further details… read more

Members of Barrier Free Living's Occupational Therapy team were on  hand at the August 10 Boriken Health Fair, sharing information about the agency's programs. The Health Fair was held at 2265 Third Ave (at 123rd Street) in honor of National Health Center Week. The fair included health screenings, participation by local organizations and featured music and giveaways… read more

Inspired by "A Force for Good: The Dalai Lama's Vision for Our World" Julie Pasqual and some friends created "The Giving Group" and set out to turn their compassionate energy outward. Their generosity found a home at BFL's Freedom House this summer, where the group created a "Holiday in July" party for the domestic violence shelter's families. Pasqual has been donating her time doing yoga classes at Freedom… read more

Inspirados por el libro, "A Force for Good: The Dalai Lama's Vision for Our World", Julie Pasqual y algunos amigos crearon "The Giving Group" y se dispusieron a desviar su energía compasiva hacia afuera. Su generosidad encontró un hogar en Freedom House de BFL este verano, donde el grupo creó un "Un Día de Fiesta en Julio" para las familias del refugio de  violencia doméstica. Pasqual ha estado donando su tiempo impartiendo clases de yoga en Freedom House durante… read more

Former BFL Occupational Therapy Intern Leatal Cohen and her husband Eleor gave back this month, donating supplies for the Freedom House shelter's Spa Day events.… read more

Barrier Free Living's Secret Garden Domestic Violence program held a Caregivers Celebration on June 18. The event was to honor "all caregivers--parents, family, friends and foremost all the people who have cared for us and our ability to care for ourselves." Program Director Georgette Delinois (pictured at far left) kicked off the program which include an interpretive dance performance, a display of crochet work and a lunch buffet.… read more

Barrier Free Living's Secret Garden domestic violence program has filmed a video in American Sign Language to explain domestic violence and inform survivors with hearing loss how to seek assistance. Development of this video is an activity of BFL's 2012 Office on Violence Against Women disability grant program award, which focuses on building capacity to serve Deaf and Hard of Hearing survivors. Above photo: Secret Garden intern Morgane Vincent… read more

The 7th Annual Handprints of the Heart sponsored by Goldman Sachs took place this month at Freedom House. The event is a celebration of Mother's Day and includes activities and a lunch with the families at the shelter. The volunteers worked with young shelter residents to create ceramic handprints, t-shirts and jewelry that kids presented to their parents after lunch… read more

Barrier Free Living staff joined politicians and activists outside City Hall on April 29 for anti-sexual assault Denim Day. Read more.… read more

New York City first lady Chirlane McCray visited Barrier Free Living's Freedom House Domestic Violence program today, speaking with residents of the shelter and touring the facility. Freedom House is nationally recognized as the first fully accessible emergency shelter for disabled victims of domestic violence and their families. Paul Feuerstein, President/CEO of Barrier Free Living and Myra Ricard, Freedom House program director guided the tour which included a visit to the… read more

BFL President/CEO Paul Feuerstein kicked off St. John University's Turn Off The Violence Week with a moving keynote address. Joining Paul was Zenaida T., who shared her story as a survivor of domestic violence. Picture are (L to R): BFL's Scott Hess, Paul Feuerstein, St. John's Hannah Stravers, Zenaida, Secret Garden's Georgette Delinois and St. John's Ruth DeRosa. Read more.… read more

The FACSA Foundation and Daimon Glenn are partnering to present the Global Pop Up Art project, April 25, 2015, online, with your help, by sharing the stories of survivors, art, music, dance, film, poetry, writing, photography, and other forms of art to express the pain we have endured so long; to give power to the voices who have been silent for so long. Global Pop Up States: We are… read more

Barrier Free Living will be a featured partner in St. John University's 8th Annual Turn Off The Violence Clothes Line Project event, April 20-24. The Staten Island campus of St. John's will  recognize those victims of violence who come from "many different countries, races, religions, and socioeconomic statuses, and to take a stand against all power-based personal violence that often occurs in personal relationships." The week kicks off with a Key Note Address by BFL CEO/Founder Paul Feuerstein. Other events include a… read more

Spread the Sparkle will host a special Easter event for residents and participants at Barrier Free Livings' Freedom House and Secret Garden Domestic Violence programs. The event, for singles and families, will include a sumptuous meal prepared by special chefs and a performance by an opera singer. Spread the Sparkle Founder Abbey LeVine shares her story on how this new organization got started: After decades of unsuccessfully looking for… read more

Barrier Free Living's Paul Feuerstein and Nicolyn Plummer will be part of a panel at the Sexual Violence Awareness & Prevention Conference 2015 which runs April 3-4. The panel, Working with Survivors of Sexual Violence, will be held 2:00pm-3:00pm on Friday, April 3rd at NYU Kimmel Center, room 905/907. Along with Feuerstein and Plummer, panelists include Suzy Salamy, Anti-Violence Project; Stacia Buckner, Safe Horizon; and Mariam Habib, SVAI Mount Sinai Hospital. Rui… read more

Identities.Mic reports: British domestic violence awareness organization Women's Aid launched a billboard in London this week featuring a woman with two black eyes, swollen features and lacerations. It's a powerful image on its own, but the ad takes things further by actually changing based on people's responses to it. If passers-by ignore the image, it remains stagnant, but if they take the time to stop and look, the ad becomes interactive and the woman's face begins to heal. According to an explanatory video about the… read more

http://youtu.be/AbqT_ubkT0Y In celebration of International Women's Day, take part in YouTube’s global #DearMe initiative to inspire and empower young girls everywhere. We all know that growing up is tough. But if you could go back in time, what wisdom would you share with your teenage self? It all starts with two words. Dear Me… read more

http://youtu.be/KwmdsXY8iP8 Denim Day was sparked by a 1998 Italian Supreme Court decision that overturned a rape conviction on the grounds that the victim was wearing tight jeans. Jeans are now donned worldwide on the third Wednesday of April in solidarity with Sexual Assualt Awareness Month in protest against injustice and rape culture. Denim Day intends to raise awareness concerning the prevalence of sexual violence and victim blaming in our society. Read more.… read more

Power Thru The Clutter choose Freedom House emergency shelter for its Go Month Project, tackling the overflowing donation clothes pantry area. Check out the amazing Before and After pictures. Power Thru The Clutter, LLC was established by Lydia Thomas as a result of helping friends and family through the years as they moved, downsized, reorganized or just cleaned out.… read more

Arethusa Speaks, a theatre company with a social justice mission focusing on survivors of intimate partner violence, makes their New York City debut with their solo performance piece They Call Me Arethusa, after critically acclaimed runs in the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, SC and the FringeArts Festival in Philadelphia, PA. This spokenwordstyle docudrama exposes the devastation laid by intimate partner violence through the voices of modern… read more

The Peace Of Heart Choir performed for the families residing at BFL's Freedom House domestic violence shelter this past holiday season, raising their voices in joyful song. Read the Peace Of Heart Choir story here.… read more

The  Hunterdon County Democrat reports: Mirror Images Salon in Clinton opened its doors on Sunday, Dec. 7, for a Cuts for Compassion event to benefit The Domestic Abuse & Sexual Assault Crisis Center (DASACC) of Warren County, based in Washington. Read the story.… read more