New Visions Blog

From City Limits Gov. Needs to Restore Money for Domestic Violence Victims By: PAUL FEUERSTEIN A recent New York City Council report found that incidents of domestic violence in public housing operated by NYCHA had doubled since 2009. And yet at the same time, our elected officials are cutting funding to groups that help domestic violence victims access legal services, receive counseling and find safe transitional housing. When Governor Cuomo and state Budget Director Robert Megna… read more

Born and raised as part of a large deaf family in Brooklyn, Michelle Reyes set her sights on giving back to the community after graduating from Gallaudet University. This year, she joined Barrier Free Living’s Secret Garden Domestic Violence program as a social worker, counseling both Deaf/HOH and hearing individuals. We caught up with Michelle to talk about her first year with BFL. How did you learn about Barrier Free… read more

The  BFL Speaker’s Bureau held its  Moving Beyond Shame special Domestic Violence Awareness Month event on Oct. 7, celebrating survivors of domestic violence who have moved beyond shame and found hope. Spearheaded by Speakers Bureau founder Theresa McIntosh, special guests included  Victor Calise, Commissioner, Mayor’s Office for People With Disabilities;Rosemonde Pierre-Louis, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Domestic Violence; along with humanitarian/advocate Brett Scudder; and writer… read more

Sorenson Communication launched a new Videophone Communication booth for Deaf/HOH participants at Barrier Free Living's Secret Garden Domestic Violence program in October. Sorenson's mission is to "empower the deaf and hard-of-hearing community to communicate with both deaf and hearing family, friends or business contacts using video relay service." Nicolyn Plummer, Secret Garden Social Worker, Services for the Deaf, organized the event, attended by staff and participants of the program. Pictured… read more

The Red Cross Club at New Exploration Into Science Technology + Math high school donated books to the programs of Barrier Free Living. Books will be given to the children of participants at the Secret Garden Domestic Violence program for summer reading… read more

BFL's Secret Garden staff and participants gathered for the Celebration of Women on May 8. Dame Lori Sutherland (pictured at right with Secret Garden Director Georgette Delinois), hosted the Soulfull Closet event this year which benefited Secret Garden, and was the featured keynote guest. Sutherland wowed the crowd and the participants enjoyed lunch and activities.… read more

In March, Georgette Delinois, Program Director at BFL's Secret Garden, was part of a group from St. Anastasia church in Teaneck NJ that joined the Mobile Mission 4 Haiti on a Medical/Dental/Mental Health mission. The group delivered adult and children’s underwear, dolls, Enfamil, Ensure, Similac, vitamins and energy bars. The doctors saw over two thousand people… read more

Grace Drums began a four-part drumming workshop for participants of Barrier Free Living's Secret Garden Domestic Violence program this March. Gabriella Dennery, Founder and Artistic Director of Grace Drums,  (pictured) along with Arlene Hall, facilitate the workshop where participants  learn about drums, rhythm and ultimately provide an outlet for expression. Formerly a practicing primary care physician, and now a full time performer and music teacher, Gabriella says she had… read more

Sally Hershberger Downton NYC Salon donated hair products to the residents and consumers at Barrier Free Living's (BFL) Transitional Housing and Secret Garden programs. BFL works with severely disabled homeless people and survivors of domestic violence with disabilities. Famed colorist Marko Tomassetti, who has donated color services to BFL, was on hand to deliver the products… read more

The first annual Soulful Closet Sale was held Jan. 23, with a portion of proceeds going to BFL’s  award winning Secret Garden program for people with disabilities who have experienced domestic violence. Event organizer Lori (Dame) Sutherland, pictured at right with Secret Garden Assistant Director Denise Baker (center) and Secret Garden Director Georgette Delinois (left) was thrilled to create the event featuring one of a kind sale items. Yael Yekutiel was… read more

The first annual Soulful Closet Sale will be held Jan. 23, with a portion of proceeds going to  BFL's  award winning Secret Garden program for people with disabilities who have experienced domestic violence. Lori (Dame) Sutherland, who organized the event says: "We will be selling prized outfits, shoes, accessories and jewelry – either brand new (with tags!), or gently worn (and are in beautiful condition). From Banana Republic to Laboutins, darlings!… read more

BFL's award winning Secret Garden program for people with disabilities who have experienced domestic violence has launched a S.P.E.A.K. (Strength. Positivity.Empathy.Action.Kindness.) workshop aimed at building a sense of "self, confidence, awareness and gut feelings." Topics range from safety planning to mind-body connections. Info: [email protected]… read more

The following article will appear in Barrier Free Living's annual newsletter (Nov. 2013) Breaking Barriers.  To learn more, or receive the free newsletter, contact [email protected] Antoinette Calabretta, a Case Manager at Barrier Free Living’s Secret Garden Program, shares her personal journey dealing with a disability and becoming a powerful force of change in the lives of the people she works with.  Of note: Alejandrina Cruz, who Antoinette works with at the Secret Garden, was featured in a New York Times story… read more

Secret Garden team members will present at the Domestic Violence Awareness Month Conference: Prevention, Intervention, and Collaboration: Effective Strategies to End Domestic Violence that will be held on October 28-30, 2013 in South Carolina. The Secret Garden's Georgette Delionis and Jules Perkel will present Living Practice Considerations for Survivors of Domestic Violence with Disabilities. The annual conference is hosted by the South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault and the South Carolina Department of Social Services. Click to… read more

AWARE (Assisting Women through Action, Resources and Education) hosted a Family Health Fair at Freedom House Emergency Shelter on September 28. The group  also donated a new baby stroller to a consumer at BFL's Secret Garden Domestic Violence program this month (picture above). The Freedom House event, CARE FOR YOURSELF, CARE FOR YOUR FAMILY, CARE FOR YOUR FUTURE included doctors, nurses, nutritionists & other healthcare experts engaging with the shelter residents and… read more

Popular Community Bank donated Brooklyn Cyclones Aug. 31 game tickets to the residents of BFL's Transitional Housing shelter, and to the agency's Secret Garden program for survivors of domestic violence with disabilities.… read more

CODES OF HOPE, an  innovative six-week curriculum highlighting the aspects of inter-generational trauma and its relationship to domestic violence, held a graduation event for participants from BFL’s Secret Garden and Freedom House programs. Marcella Goheen and Thea Martinez are co-facilitators of CODES OF HOPE.  Activities include inventive approaches to healing, such as a dinner party theater game exploring the dynamics of power and control.Inspired by The Maria Project’s story of… read more

The Human Services Council of New York (HSC) premieres its new weekly, hour-long radio series, Voices of Human Services, on WWRL (1600 AM) on Wednesday, June 26, from 11 pm to 12 midnight. Co-moderated by HSC Executive Director Michael Stoller and Deputy Executive Director Allison Sesso,  the weekly broadcast will explore a range of topics related to the human services needs of New Yorkers and the public policies that have an impact on the effective delivery of nonprofit human… read more

Georgette Delinois, Director of BFL's Secret Garden Program was honored with the Francoise I. Casseus Community Leadership Award at this June's Haitians Unified for Development and Education (HUDE) 2nd Annual Benefit Gala. Proceeds of the HUDE Gala go to a scholarship fund for high school graduates of Haitian descent to assist with college tuition.  HUDE will award a $2,000 scholarship this year. HUDE's mission is to support and empower the Haitian community socially, politically, and academnically by developing programs… read more

BFL's Secret Garden Domestic Violence Program held its annual Women's Day Celebration this month. The event heralded the courage and triumphs of survivors who have grown and healed through the program. The celebration included a poetry reading, piano recital and lunch. Special gift bags were provided by The Body Shop.… read more

Miss M., a woman who found safety and healing at BFL's Secret Garden domestic violence program, shared a letter of gratitude with staff, thanking them for "giving me back my life."  Miss M. said the program helped her to change her "destiny forever." Click here to read Miss M.'s letter.… read more

CODES OF HOPE, an  innovative six-week curriculum highlighting the aspects of inter-generational trauma and its relationship to domestic violence, is working with participants at BFL's Secret Garden and Freedom House programs. Activities include inventive approaches to healing, such as a dinner party theater game exploring the dynamics of power and control. Marcella Goheen and Thea Martinez are co-facilitators of CODES OF HOPE.  Inspired by The Maria Project’s story of Maria Salazar, the CODES OF HOPE curriculum reflects an interdisciplinary approach… read more

Barrier Free Living’s Domestic Violence Program Secret Garden Offers Reiki Sessions for consumers with Practitioner Antoinette Calabretta. Certified in Reiki, Anotinette is also a Case Manager at Secret Garden. Click here for flyer. Reiki session is offered bimonthly, on Wednesdays starting February 6, 2013. For more information contact Antoinette Calabretta at (212) 533-4358. Reiki is a very specific form of energy healing, in which hands are placed… read more

An article (excerpt below) in  Jan. 14, 2013 NY Times, about Secret Garden consumer Alejandrina Cruz. Click here to read the full article. Alejandrina Cruz may be the only Bronx grandmother with a kung fu movie collection to rival that of a subway salesman laden with cartons of contraband. Ms. Cruz, 65, lived in the city shelter system for more than three years while working to repair wounds left by years of physical and emotional abuse. For the past 100… read more

BFL's Secret Garden is holding its winter Money Matters group weekly on Mondays. The group guides survivors to learn strong habits and empowerment tools around issues involving finance, credit and money management (video clip at right). To  View the video here. To learn more email [email protected]… read more

The kids of BFL's Secret Garden and Freedom House programs created cards to thank supporters, friends and donors to the agency this season, like the one pictured by Emily, age 9.  BFL friends who post a message on our holiday page with their contact information receive a reply card from the kids.… read more

Transitional Housing and Secret Garden programs had a combined celebration for the Thanksgiving Holiday, serving residents and consumers of both programs along with staff.  Live entertainment was provided by Hospital Audiences and the BFL Occupational Therapy team helped decorate and plan the event… read more

Former BFL Secret Garden team member Molly Burke  Freyer co authored (with Michelle S. Ballan) the report: Self-Defense Among Women With Disabilities An Unexplored Domain, stating that 'Women with disabilities are frequent victims of domestic violence, yet scant research has examined self-protective mechanisms that could mitigate this abuse.' View the article PDF here.… read more

Thanks to a generous donation from the 13th Step Group, the children of the Secret Garden program received backpacks… read more