New Visions Blog

The Supportive Housing Network of New York reports that after several debates in which the word "homeless" was never uttered, moderators at last week's final debate asked candidates to detail their plans to reduce NYC's record level of homelessness, this a result of a United to End Homelessness twitter rally. United to End Homelessness held two Twitter rallies in October to urge New York City's mayoral candidates and debate moderators to discuss homelessness. The Coalition's efforts paid off. Debate moderators… read more

Toy and gift donations from The Kids Wish Network, FPWA and Manhattan-based Holy Trinity Church brighten the holidays for the children residing at Freedom House Emergency Shelter. This year, Kids Wish included Barrier Free Living in its special Gift Bank delivering 1 pallet (650lbs) of brand new toys, games, educational items and more to the children.  BFL is part of the Kids Wish Hero of the Month program aimed at "children between the ages of 3 and 18… read more

Volunteers from Manhattan's RPG firm will transform the Freedom House Emergency Shelter child care area into a joyful jungle this fall. Lead by Ellen L. Friedman, Executive Vice President at RPG (Ellen is a member of AWARE which took on Freedom House last year as a partner program) the volunteers are planning a dynamic new paint design of the space (image above) which serves 54 kids. "The children we… read more

The 130-member United to End Homelessness coalition released its “Roadmap to Ending Homelessness,” which "lays out the reforms necessary to stamp out homelessness in New York City." The coalition was featured in the media, including the New York Times Opinion Pages stating: "More than 50,000 New Yorkers slept in city homeless shelters and on the streets last night. About 21,000 were children." Read the NY Times article. View the Road to End Homelessness Report here.… read more

Mark O'Meara, Staff Writer, Novogradac & Company reports on Barrier Free Living Aparatments new housing under construction in the Bronx. View a PDF of the story here.… read more

Moodys, working with the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, sponsored BFL's Fiesta Wellness Day at the Transitional Housing Program this August. Fifteen Moody's volunteers worked with BFL's dynamic Occupational Therapy Department to create a carnival style event.  The day featured: gardening workshops; a guide to healthy eating booth; an ask the nurse booth; an all day spa and wellness room; and a yoga class run by Laura Staton of Lulu… read more

HSC’s new Radio Series “Voices of Human Services” on WWRL 1600 AM debuted last week. Listen to the podcast here: http://www.wwrl1600.com/topic/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=6441417 The show featured an interview by Allison Sesso of Thomas Krever, Executive Director of Hetrick Martin Institute, talking about the organization’s work with LGBTQ youth, followed by a discussion led by Michael Stoller on the disaster response efforts of faith-based human services programs in areas of New York devastated by Hurricane Sandy, with Peter Gudaitis, New York Disaster… read more

AWARE organized and hosted a Family Carnival for the residents of Freedom House, the country's only domestic violence shelter for disabled residents. The Carnival featured face-painting, glitter tattoos, a photo booth, basketball, live music, cotton-candy and even an appearance by Elmo.  The event hosted nearly 135 residents and approximately 35 AWARE volunteers. AWARE (Assisting Women through Action, Resources & Education) is a grass-roots organization dedicated to promoting awareness and generating funds in order to make meaningful improvements in the… read more

The Ground Breaking for BFL's $42 million two building apartment complex in in the Bronx on June 4 drew supporters, officials and was covered by several news networks in NYC including WNBC, WPIX11, News12 and News12 en espanol. New York City's Housing Development Corp. (HDC), the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) along with the NY State Homeless Housing and Assistance Corp. (HHAC) joined Barrier Free Living, Alembic Development… read more

The June 4 Ground Breaking for Barrier Free Living Apartments is featured on News12 today. Click here to view the clip.… read more

The residents of  BFL's Transitional Housing program, formerly homeless men and women with disabilities, were treated to a sumptuous May Day feast this month. The 24 women of the shelter received special Mother's Day gift bags courtesy of The Body Shop. BFL's Occupational Therapy team coordinated the event, which included a baking class and cupcake decorating workshop. The Body Shop choose Transitional Housing as the featured charity in it's 'Another… read more

After a career as a decorated Marine then working for the Federal Aviation Administration, Dr. Young suddenly went from actively thriving to barely surviving while living out of his car in metro Atlanta. Moving in and out of extended stay motels, and navigating throughout the sometimes dangerous streets of metro Atlanta. Check out Dr. Young's blog here.… read more

The Body Shop at New York City's Grand Central (420 Lexington Ave) has chosen BFL's Transitional Housing program as its charity partner for Mother's Day. The Transitional Housing Program is a shelter for formerly homeless men and women with disabilities who are forging  a new life. Body Shop's "Another for a Mother" campaign encourages customers to purchase items for their mother or loved one, as well as… read more

Since 2010 the Kids Wish Network has honored more than 30 children at Freedom House Emergency Shelter with a Hero of the Month award. The honorees of this program are children between the ages of 3 and 18 who have faced and overcome difficult circumstances, often enduring a great deal of pain and suffering. "This really speaks to the children's  courage during time of hardship, as their families enter our domestic violence shelter… read more

A Resident at BFL's Freedom House Emergency Shelter sent a letter to staff expressing gratitude about her healing journey and how she gained  strength as she moved through obstacles. Click here to read the inspiring letter… read more

The United to End Homelessness campaign launches Tuesday, April 9 at 1pm at the NY City Hall steps. New York City’s next Mayor and City Council will confront unprecedented levels of homelessness. By the end of 2012, more than 57,000 people, including more than 22,000 children, slept each night on the street or in a City shelter, the largest homeless shelter population ever recorded. Click here to view rally flyer.… read more

HSU is one of the lead agencies that has been mobilizing a new nonpartisan coalition to highlight the crisis of homelessness during the 2013 mayoral election in New York City. The coalition – United to End Homelessness – will hold its official launch next Tuesday, April 9, on the steps of City Hall at 1pm. There are more people today in New York City’s shelter system than at any other time in recorded history. Fifty-seven thousand New Yorkers are now… read more

The Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities kicked off its first Accessible Housing Symposium at John Jay College April 1. The symposium featured panel discussions on the topic of educating New Yorkers with Disabilities on accessible housing options.  The event concluded with an information fair and included participation from Barrier Free Living.  Participating  agencies included NYC Housing Authority and Department of Housing Preservation and Development.… read more

An article in The Wall Street Journal reports that an average of more than 50,000 people slept each night in New York City's homeless shelters for the first time in January, a record that underscores an unsettling national trend: a rising number of families without permanent housing. Read the article here.… read more

This "Protecting Domestic Violence Victims AND Their Pets" webinar will be held on Wednesday, March 20, 2013 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM Eastern Time and will focus on the barriers to leaving an abusive relationship faced by domestic violence victims with pets. To attend click here for instructions. Many domestic violence victims stay in an abusive relationship, delay leaving, or return to the perpetrator out of fear for their pet's safety. This webinar will provide information on various resources available… read more

A program to equip survivors of domestic violence with resources to secure sustainable employment launches this month at Freedom House Emergency Shelter. The EASE Program (Economic and Social Empowerment) presented by Dr.  Robert Hawkins and Alisha Ali of New York University helps shelter residents to understand the importance of of becoming economically self -sufficient. The workshops focus on:  Empowerment, Motivation, Developing Skills, Obstacles, Challenges,  Employment and Educational goals.  The workshops range in topic from Social Economic Empowerment, Interviewing, Networking, and Your… read more

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

The New York Cares 24th Annual Coat Drive delivered over 40 warm coats to residents of BFL's Transitional Housing program for people with disabilities.  Thus far, over 60 thousand coats have been distributed in the NY area.  To find out more about the coat drive, additional information, email [email protected] or call 212.228.5000… read more

LeShan Gaulman spent a good deal of time at Barrier Free Living before signing on this January as the new Transitional Housing Program Director. “For the past three years I have been Independence Care System’s (ICS) Social Service Coordinator for BFL, working on site at BFL’s Transitional Housing Program,” said Leshan, a native of the Bronx and life-time New Yorker.  “ICS provides services for the residents that are enrolled and provides long-term… 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

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

The NY Times reports on Community Access’ restoration of the old Gouverneur Hospital, now called Gouverneur Court. Read the article, Still Housing the Needy, In a Changed Manhattan.  Barrier Free Living is working with Community Access on its latest Supportive Housing project. Steve Coe, Community Access Chief Executive Officer says: "As I mention in the article, the people we help were excluded from mainstream housing, which meant that social workers and community organizers had to figure out how to… 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

Residents of BFL's Transitional Housing program, under the guidance of editor and former resident John Aliseo (pictured), released the summer 2012 Moving Forward newsletter. View the Pdf. Moving Forward Spring Summer 2012 Newsletter- The FINAL Edition… read more

A generous donation from Banco Popular gave a boost to Barrier Free Living’s Mother’s Day/Women’s Day Empowerment event this May. Sugar Sweet Sunshine Bakery also donated cupcakes to sweeten things up at the gathering. The celebration draws residents and consumers from BFL’s Secret Garden and Transitional Housing Programs. In addition to group activities, live entertainment and food, there is a special gift giveaway and floral… read more