New Visions Blog

Artist, Thomas Dreamer, a former resident at Barrier Free Living's Transitional Housing shelter for people with disabilities, shares how why he "Gave Back" by painting a dynamic mural at the shelter. The shelter works with formerly homeless people with disabilities to find permanent homes and thrive in their communities.… read more

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

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

Barrier Free Living (BFL) team members were on hand at The Network's (Supportive Housing Network of New York) 2017 Network gala on October 18th at Capitale. BFL's  Paul Feuerstein (photo top right) and LeShan Gaulman, Program Director at BFL's Transitional Housing (photo top left) joined BFL colleagues Scott Hess, Director of Communications and Tiffany Williams, Housing Specialist at Transitional Housing (in photo below, at right). The Gala honored Commissioner & CEO RuthAnne Visnauskas of NYS Homes &… read more

Felipe Sepulveda, Director of Social Services at Barrier Free Living's (BFL) Transitional Housing program, was among those honored at the first ever Lifesaver Awards Ceremony in New York City on October 5. The awards, held by the Department of Health, honored 67 people who saved a collective 255 lives with the overdose-reversing drug naloxone.  First Lady Chirlane McCray and Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett attended the ceremony. Felipe, who trained earlier in the year on… read more

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

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

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

  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

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

  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

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

Team members at two Barrier Free Living programs are adding educational related activities to their agendas this winter. LeShan Gaulman, program director at the agency's Transitional Housing program for formerly homeless people with disabilities, has begun teaching Introduction to Social Work at Lehman College. "It has always been my desire to teach on a collegiate level, it was all part of my career path, " says LeShan. "Time management will be an important factor in this process. I know that it… read more

Team members at two Barrier Free Living programs are adding educational related activities to their agendas this winter. LeShan Gaulman, program director at the agency's Transitional Housing program for formerly homeless people with disabilities, has begun teaching Introduction to Social Work at Lehman College. "It has always been my desire to teach on a collegiate level, it was all part of my career path, " says LeShan. "Time management will be an important factor in this process. I know that it… read more

Tamara Willis joined  Barrier Free Living (BFL) this summer as an intern working with our Occupational Therapy team. We caught up with Tamara (photo above) while she was participating in a gardening day project on the patio of our transitional housing program to talk about growth in all of its forms. BFL: Tell us a little about you Tamara. Tamara: I am a native New Yorker, born and raised in Queens, NY. I attended undergrad at Delaware State University… read more

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

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

Barrier Free Living Transitional Housing shelter residents created floral bouquets for themselves, family and friends this May. The workshop, facilitated by the BFL Occupational Therapy team,  allowed for social engagement and participation, and as a way to celebrate both spring and Mother's Day.… read more

Barrier Free Living's (BFL) Occupational Therapy team kicked off the new year with a grooming program for residents at the Transitional Housing Shelter. Barber Nicholas Naranjo (pictured with resident Carlos Cano) stopped by and set up shop, performing sharp cuts on residents the first week of January. The Occupational Therapy team works… read more

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Theresa A. H. McIntosh, founder of the Barrier Free Living (BFL) Speakers Bureau and a BFL Freedom House trustee. Theresa was a survivor of domestic violence who was also an above-the-knee amputee. Theresa was born, raised and educated in England. Following a car accident in 1992, Theresa became a resident at Barrier Free Living’s Transitional Housing Program… read more

Over a dozen volunteers from Yahoo participated in Barrier Free Living's Wellness Day event at the Transitional Housing program this September. Working with The Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, Yahoo funded the event and supported the BFL team, serving a wellness luncheon and running a gardening "de-stress" workshop. A nurse was also on hand, offering healthy living tips and taking residents' blood pressure.… read more

Working with the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies, BFL welcomed 24 volunteers to the Transitional Housing program as part of Aon Global Service Day on June 11, 2015. The hard-working volunteers painted and refurbished a lounge… read more

As part of Deloitte Impact Day 2015, volunteers painted and spruced up the computer room at Barrier Free Living's Transitional Housing shelter for people with disabilities. The room is used by the shelter's 48 residents for computer training and for fellowship. Volunteers, guided by Facility Manager David Rodriguez and Development Manager Scott Hess , painted the… read more

Pam Hall, a former resident of Barrier Free Livings Transitional Shelter in 2009, didn’t want to just move on in her life, she wanted to give back. “For me, Barrier Free Living’s Transitional Housing program was a saving grace. I came to believe that whatever I want to achieve I can if I work for it. If people say you can’t, I say don’t believe them,” says Pam. Pam gained the confidence and… read more

Barrier Free Living inició su nuevo proyecto Project Give Back (Devuelve lo Recibido), en el que los antiguos residentes "devuelven lo recibido" trabajando en un proyecto relacionado con el refugio. Thomas, un antiguo residente pintó un mural dinámico e inspirador en el patio del programa de Vivienda de Transición (Transitional Housing). Thomas aparece en la película de la misión Barrier Free Living de Blake Drummond, aquí.… read more

Barrier Free Living kicked off its new Project Give Back, where former residents “give back” by working on a project related to the shelter. Thomas, a former resident painted a dynamic, inspirational mural on the patio of the Transitional Housing program. Thomas is featured in the Barrier Free Living mission film by Blake Drummond, here… read more

For the third consecutive year, the Assurant Foundation has awarded Barrier Free Living a $10,000 New Growth Fund grant in support of the agency’s work with severely disabled formerly homeless individuals. In 2014, The Assurant Foundation New Growth Fund supported BFL’s new Project Give Back, where a former shelter resident designs a workshop or project to inspire current shelter residents. Funds were also used for a new refrigerator for the shelter's dining room, which serves three meals a day to the… read more

Stephanie Lindquist, Program Associate at Art Connects New York stopped by the curated exhibit at Barrier Free Living's Transitional Housing shelter for people with disabilities. Art Connects New York is a charitable organization that, with the help of its donors, connects artists and curators with social service agencies in New York City to create museum-quality permanent exhibitions of contemporary artwork… read more

Tu-Lu’s Gluten Free Bakery continues its weekly donations to the Barrier Free Living (BFL) Transitional Housing shelter delivering Valentine's Day cookies to residents. The BFL program feeds 48 formerly homeless residents with disabilities daily. The kitchen staff welcomes the donations which range from desserts to Honey Oat or Whole Grain Sunflower breads… read more

Tu-Lu's Glutten Free Bakery is donating bread weekly to the Barrier Free Living Transitional Housing shelter. The program feeds 48 formerly homeless residents with disabilities daily. The kitchen staff welcomed the donation of breads ranging from Honey Oat to Whole Grain Sunflower expressing gratitude for the generosity to the program and its residents.… read more