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Butler Street Coop Donates Toys & Books To Barrier Free Living Learning Center

February 22, 2019 Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Shelter 0 Comments
  The volunteer-led Butler Street Coop had to close its Brooklyn based playground/pre-school this winter, but the silver lining came in the form of donations to the new Learning Center for kids at Barrier Free Living apartments in the South Bronx. The Coop donated books, toys and musical instruments to the center. Barrier Free Living apartments offers permanent homes to survivors of domestic… read more

Freedom House Spotlight: From Domestic Violence Shelter Resident To Team Volunteer

June 27, 2018 Breaking Barriers Newsletter, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Our Stories, Shelter, Uncategorized 0 Comments
When Bethelihem and her family arrived at Barrier Free Living's Freedom House domestic violence shelter in 2014, the only thing on her mind was safety.  Not long into her stay, she discovered the power of helping others as part of her own healing journey.  Today, as a senior at  Hunter College of City University of New York (CUNY) pursuing a Sociology degree, Bethelihem decided that she wanted to give… read more

Pet Therapy For People With Disabilities & Survivors Of Domestic Violence

January 12, 2018 Advocacy, BFL News, Current Events, Disability News, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Shelter Tags: , 2 Comments
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

4th Grader Asks For Donations To Barrier Free Living Instead Of Birthday Gifts

January 10, 2018 Current Events, Shelter 0 Comments
When asked what she wanted for her 10th birthday, Pilar Keton didn't have a list of gifts. She asked instead that family and friends donate to Barrier Free Living. Pilar, a 4th grade student at Brooklyn Prospect Charter School, which has an IB curriculum heavily focused on community service and involvement, was concerned that city shelters might not be designed to accommodate people with disabilities.  She… read more

Serving Male Domestic Violence Survivors In Shelter

December 28, 2017 Advocacy, BFL News, Breaking Barriers in DV, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Shelter Tags: 18 Comments
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

Chefs Serve Up Joy, Unity & A Great Banana Pudding At BFL Apartments

December 14, 2017 BFL News, Breaking Barriers Newsletter, Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Shelter 0 Comments
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

Kids Deliver Gift Bags To Families at BFL Apartments

December 8, 2017 BFL News, Current Events, Shelter 0 Comments
For the holiday season, Dan Kimbers and his daughter Elina (pictured) wanted to find a way to spread joy beyond their own family this year. The Kimbers had heard about Barrier Free Living, and the agency's programs for survivors of domestic violence with disabilities and their families.  They reached out to BFL and asked if they could create small gift bags, and delivered them this December. Elina and a few friends created… read more

BFL’s Transitional Housing Thanksgiving Event

November 30, 2017 BFL News, Current Events, Shelter Tags: 0 Comments
Staff and residents at Barrier Free Living's Transitional Housing program gathered for a Thanksgiving feast this November. CEO Paul Feuerstein was on hand to wish the team and residents a safe and happy holiday.… read more

Toy Drive For BFL’s Freedom House Kids

November 27, 2017 Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Shelter Tags: 2 Comments
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

BFL Halloween Events

November 1, 2017 BFL News, Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Our Stories, Shelter 0 Comments
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 Begins Work On Updated Mission Film

October 3, 2017 BFL News, Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Our Stories, Shelter 0 Comments
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

Columbia University Programs In Occupational Therapy Mention Student Work at BFL

August 28, 2017 Current Events, Shelter Tags: 0 Comments
Columbia University Programs in Occupational Therapy posted about students working at Barrier Free Living's Transitional Housing shelter this summer. The story covers an MTA bus demo the students worked on with the shelter residents. Read more.… read more

Ping Pong Champ Teaches Kids At BFL Apartments

August 18, 2017 Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Our Stories, Shelter 0 Comments
Alexis Perez, a famed ping pong champ, is teaching the kids at BFL Apartments the art of the game. Perez has been meeting with the kids at the supportive housing complex in the Bronx three times a week since June. “The children have not missed a day of lessons and have been able to develop their own style of playing ping pong,” says Julie Pena, director at BFL Apartments. The kids received sports… read more

Bronx Academy Of Letters Students Donate To BFL Shelter

June 20, 2017 Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Shelter Tags: , 0 Comments
Students from the Bronx Academy of Letters stopped by Barrier Free Living's Transitional Housing shelter this June to donate health products to the residents. The students met with program director LeShan Gaulman (in photo above), to learn about the program which offers shelter to formerly homeless men  and women with disabilities. The students also plan to donate similar products to Barrier Free Living apartments, a complex for survivors of domestic violence… read more

BFL’s Transitional Housing Program Celebrates Father’s Day

June 16, 2017 BFL News, Shelter Tags: 0 Comments
The staff at Barrier Free Living's Transitional Housing program prepared a special meal in honor of Father's Day this weekend. The program offers shelter, case management and occupational therapy to formerly homeless men and women with disabilities.… read more

Playwright David Drake Brings Theatre Camp For Kids To BFL Apartments

June 8, 2017 Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Our Stories, Shelter Tags: 2 Comments
This profile is by Liam Chan Hodges, a summer intern in BFL’s Communication Department. His writing has appeared in Study Breaks and elsewhere. He is currently pursuing a government major at Franklin and Marshall college and will graduate in 2019. David Drake is a man of many talents. He has gained success as a playwright, a stage director, an actor and an author. His most acclaimed piece The… read more

Moody’s Volunteers At Shelter Wellness Fair

June 7, 2017 Corporate/Event Sponsors, Current Events, Shelter Tags: 0 Comments
  Volunteers from Moody's served fruit smoothies, made de-stress balls and talked up the benefits of healthy living at Barrier Free Living's (BFL) Wellness Fair this June. The FPWA connected the company to BFL, and Moody's sponsored the fair with a charitable donation. The Moody's volunteers joined the agency's Occupational Therapy team which coordinated the event, along with LeShan Gaulman, shelter director. Activities included chair yoga, booths with… read more

El Poema de la Esperanza de un Joven Residente de Freedom House

May 9, 2017 BFL Blog en Español, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Our Stories, Shelter Tags: 0 Comments
Un joven residente en el refugio de violencia doméstica Freedom House, de Barrier Free Living, compartió un poema de esperanza y sanación para comenzar el nuevo año. La "Chica Silenciosa" es parte de una familia que experimentó violencia doméstica y abuso antes de encontrar refugio seguro en Freedom House en 2016. La familia recibió terapia y servicios de apoyo y espera mudarse a un hogar permanente en 2017.… read more

Barrier Free Living’s LeShan Gaulman Contributes To Book On Fatherhood

February 23, 2017 BFL News, Current Events, Shelter Tags: 2 Comments
LeShan Gaulman, program director at Barrier Free Living's Transitional Housing program has contributed a chapter to the newly published book  Fatherhood in America: Social work perspectives on a changing society. Gaulman, who also teaches Introduction to Social Work at Lehman College, wrote a chapter entitled Homeless Fathers.… read more

Transitional Housing Program Celebrates Love

February 22, 2017 Current Events, Shelter Tags: 0 Comments
  The Occupational Therapy team at Barrier Free Living's Transitional Housing program for people with disabilities organized an event to celebrate life and love this February. Residents of the shelter gathered in the main dining hall to mingle with staff, decorate cupcakes and enjoy classic disco.… read more

BFL Transitional Housing Shelter Launches Resident Newsletter

January 31, 2017 Shelter Tags: 15 Comments
Barrier Free Living's Transitional Housing shelter for formerly homeless people with disabilities has launched a resident newsletter for winter 2017. Created by the program's Occupational Therapy department, the staff and the residents contributed to the newsletter which focuses on "overcoming challenges." One resident states that "to overcome challenges they must be looked at like obstacles rather than roadblocks." The newsletter is quarterly. Upload the PDF of the newsletter here: bfl-th-newsletter-2… read more

Pajama Program Donates PJS To Kids At BFL Domestic Violence Programs

January 27, 2017 Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Our Stories, Shelter Tags: 0 Comments
The Pajama Program donated over 50 pairs of pajamas to the kids living at Barrier Free Living's domestic violence programs this winter. The Pajama Program sets a goal for "every child to feel the love and comfort that lets them escape into peaceful sleep, and to awaken empowered with the energy and resilience that can change every one of their days for the better. We accomplish this with the rather… read more

Programa de Pijamas Dona Pijamas a los Niños en los Programas de Violencia Doméstica de BFL

January 27, 2017 BFL Blog en Español, Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Our Stories, Shelter 0 Comments
El Programa de Pijamas (The Pajama Program) donó más de 50 pares de pijamas a los niños que viven en los programas de violencia doméstica de Barrier Free Living este invierno. El Programa de Pijamas establece un objetivo de "permitir a cada niño sentir el amor y la comodidad que le permite escaparse en un sueño pacífico, y despertar con el poder de la energía y la resistencia que… read more

Young Freedom House Resident’s Poem of Hope

January 6, 2017 Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Our Stories, Shelter Tags: 0 Comments
A young resident at Barrier Free Living's Freedom House domestic violence shelter shared a poem of hope and healing to start the new year. The "Silent Girl" is part of a family that experienced domestic violence and abuse prior to finding safe shelter at Freedom House in 2016. The family received therapy and support services and plans to move into a permanent home in 2017.… read more

BFL Transitional Housing Honors Fathers

June 20, 2016 Current Events, Shelter Tags: 0 Comments
The staff of BFL's Transitional Housing honored father's on June 19 hosting a cook out on the shelter's back patio. The kitchen staff created a BBQ buffet and the BFL team and shelter residents gathered for the celebration… read more

Morgan Stanley Corporate Service Day At BFL Shelter

June 13, 2016 Current Events, Shelter Tags: 0 Comments
Volunteers from Morgan Stanley spent the day painting and gardening at Barrier Free Living's (BFL) transitional housing shelter for people with disabilities on June 10 as part of the Federation of Protestant Welfare's (FPWA) summer corporate service day. The energetic group painted and refurbished a kitchen area and office, as well as weeding and planting the shelter's garden area where residents gather. "These few hours of service impact the… read more

BFL Apartments Summer Kick Off BBQ

June 2, 2016 Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Shelter 0 Comments
The BFL Apartments team served up a sizzling BBQ for tenants of the complex kicking off the summer season on June 1. Tenants of the family and singles building mingled on the parking lot turned picnic grounds and enjoyed traditional summer fare. The child care team offered face painting, hopscotch and hoola hoop activity for the kids.… read more

BFL Apartments Launches Tenant Summer Garden Club

May 27, 2016 Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Shelter 0 Comments
BFL Apartments kicked off its tenant Garden Club this memorial day weekend. Working with the occupational therapy team and Director of Communications Scott Hess, the tenant's garden club began their summer meetings on the roof, planting a variety of blooms. The club plans to plant vegetables and additional flowers, as well as having a summer luncheon for its members.… read more

Freedom House Handprints Of The Heart Celebration

May 13, 2016 Current Events, Domestic Violence and Disabilities, Shelter Tags: 0 Comments
The 8th 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