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 child care department. The first lady met several of the shelter’s youngest residents, who had found safety with their families at Freedom House.

Also attending from HRA were: Deputy Commissioner of the Office of Domestic Violence Marie B. Philip; Director of Clinical Initiatives and Programming Lisa Rachmuth; and Chief Special Services Officer Daniel W. Tietz.

The first lady stopped in on the Freedom House Spa Day, where shelter residents gathered with the Occupational Therapy team to make their own bath and self care products.