irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $1.39MSECRET GARDEN-BARRIER FREE LIVING'S SECRET GARDEN PROGRAM IS THE ONLY NON-RESIDENTIAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PROGRAM IN NEW YORK CITY SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO SERVE SURVIVORS WITH DISABILITIES. FOR OVER 30 YEARS, SECRET GARDEN HAS PROVIDED COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES INCLUDING CRISIS COUNSELING, SAFETY PLANNING, ADVOCACY, AND SUPPORT GROUPS HELPING SURVIVORS NAVIGATE THE INTERSECTING CHALLENGES OF ABUSE AND DISABILITY.
named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Freedom Village
Fully accessible supportive housing program with 74 apartments for survivors of domestic violence with disabilities and seniors, providing safe, independent living with on-site counseling, community events, and supportive services.
Occupational Therapy Workshops
Therapeutic workshops including healthy cooking, soap making, and wellness activities to support independence, self-care, and lifestyle skills for survivors.
Secret Garden
The only non-residential domestic violence program in New York City specifically designed for survivors with disabilities, offering crisis counseling, safety planning, advocacy, legal assistance, support groups, and case management.
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Domestic Violence Survivor Support Services 3 activities
- Conduct outreach and community engagement via Secret Garden programRuns the Secret Garden program, which conducts extensive outreach to domestic violence survivors, delivering face-to-face sessions, counseling, and support. In 2019, conducted 5,752 outreach efforts and 2,266 face-to-face sessions; in 2020, provided over 3,000 counseling sessions.
- Deliver direct support services to domestic violence survivors with disabilitiesProvides comprehensive direct services including counseling, case management, advocacy, legal assistance (e.g., orders of protection, custody, public benefits), referral services, and hotline support to hundreds of domestic violence survivors with disabilities annually across New York City’s five boroughs. In 2022, answered over 3,500 hotline calls and served approximately 260 survivors; in prior years, served over 140–170 survivors monthly.
- Operate Freedom House domestic violence shelterOperates a fully accessible domestic violence shelter in New York City offering 90- to 180-day stays for individuals and families, including survivors with disabilities such as wheelchair users, D/deaf or hard of hearing individuals, and blind or visually impaired individuals. Provides private living spaces, childcare, counseling, support groups, discharge planning, housing/entitlement workshops, and on-site services including social workers, nurses, and occupational therapy teams.
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Disability Rights Advocacy & Self-Advocacy Empowerment 1 activity
- Advocate for improved accessibility in emergency response systemsCollaborates with the NYPD to improve accessibility of Text 911 services for Deaf individuals seeking help for domestic violence, advancing systemic change in emergency response for survivors with disabilities.
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Day Habilitation Services 1 activity
- Deliver occupational therapy and life skills programmingOffers on-site and virtual occupational therapy groups focused on self-care, lifestyle skills, creativity, movement, vocational training, and financial literacy, delivered by staff and supervised interns. Programs include healthy cooking, soap making, and wellness spa activities to support healing and independence.
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Volunteer and Professional Training Programs 1 activity
- Offer training and technical assistance on disability-inclusive domestic violence servicesProvides foundational and advanced training programs, seminars, and on-site technical assistance to external organizations on domestic violence, disability inclusion, and accessibility. Focuses on improving service delivery for survivors with developmental and other disabilities, including through customizable curricula and organizational capacity building.
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Supportive and Emergency Housing Services 1 activity
- Operate Freedom Village supportive housing programOperates Freedom Village, a fully accessible supportive housing program with 74 apartments in the Bronx for survivors of domestic violence with disabilities and seniors, offering long-term housing stability along with counseling, support groups, community events, and on-site occupational therapy and wellness activities.
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Emergency Rental Assistance and Eviction Prevention 1 activity
- Provide rental and housing stabilization assistanceAssists survivors of domestic violence with disabilities in securing and maintaining housing by helping with rental arrears, moving into new apartments, and furnishing homes. In 2022, assisted 50 people with rental arrears and helped 10 individuals move into new housing.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Conduct federally-funded research on disability servicesConducted a federally-funded research and demonstration project on disability services beginning in 1978, contributing to the development of accessible support models for people with disabilities.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$3.96M
Contributions & grants$3.41M86%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$35K1%
Other revenue$510K
expenses
Total expenses$4.51M
Program expenses86%
Admin / overhead14%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$3.64M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$7.16M
Cash$1.36M
Investments$0
Liabilities$4.78M
Net assets$2.37M
Liquid reserves3.6 mo
6 years on record · 2019–2024 · YoY revenue -25.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 4
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CYNTHIA AMODEO | CEO | 40 | $171K |
| IAN HYLAND BATES | CFO | 40 | $141K |
| DIANA L TURNER | CHIEF PROGRAM OFFICER | 40 | $119K |
| MYRA RICARD | PROGRAM DIRECTOR | 40 | $111K |
board members · 13
- DAN O'CONNOR — BOARD MEMBER
- EDWINA WEBSTER — BOARD MEMBER
- ERICA YOUNGERMAN — BOARD MEMBER
- FRANK MUGABI — BOARD MEMBER
- GERALD FRANCESE — BOARD MEMBER
- INNA JACKSON — VICE CHARIPERSON
- JACLYN HALL — BOARD MEMBER
- JENNIFER K TAN — BOARD MEMBER
- MALCOLM WATTMAN — TREASURER
- MICHAEL SABELLA ESQ — SECRETARY
- RANDOLPH MOWRY — BOARD MEMBER
- RAY LI — BOARD MEMBER
- ROBERT C FOOTE III ESQ — CHAIRPERSON
relationships · 28
Who they work with
- Barrier Free Living Partner — Organization offering trainings on domestic violence and disabilities to other organizations.
- Blur Projects Partner — Australian delegation including Blur Projects toured BFL's Freedom Village to learn about its model.
- Crime Victim Treatment Center Partner — Collaborates with the Crime Victim Treatment Center to provide sexual assault services to survivors.
- Cynthia Amodeo Partner — Chief Executive Officer and licensed mental health counselor leading training initiatives on domestic violence and disability.
- Diagonal Media Partner — Collaborated on the production of the BFL Secret Garden gaslighting animated film.
- Diana Turner Partner — Chief Program Officer with expertise in domestic violence and supportive housing, contributing to program development for survivors with disabilities.
- District Attorney Office of New York Government — Member of the New York County Collaborative alongside the District Attorney Office of New York to enhance response systems for Deaf survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
- Freedom House Partner — Domestic violence shelter program operated by Barrier Free Living Inc.
- Harlem Independent Living Center Partner — Member of the New York County Collaborative alongside Harlem Independent Living Center to build capacity for serving Deaf survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
- Hearts of Gold Partner — Volunteers with Barrier Free Living by contributing volunteer hours and project support.
- Joyful Heart Foundation Funder — Provided BFL with a 2025 Heal the Healers grant to support staff serving survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse.
- Lettire Construction Partner — Co-hosted the ribbon-cutting event for BFL's Freedom Village supportive housing program.
- Lindsay Jones Partner — Composed music for the BFL Secret Garden gaslighting animated film.
- Monroe College Partner — Supports Freedom House residents in pursuing nursing education.
- NYPD Partner — Collaborated with the NYPD to make Text 911 more accessible for Deaf survivors of domestic violence.
- New York City Garden Club Partner — Volunteers with Barrier Free Living by contributing volunteer hours and project support.
- New York Public Library Partner — BFL CEO Cynthia Amodeo participated in an event hosted by NYPL focused on literary links between the UK and USA.
- New York State Council on Developmental Disabilities Government — Administered grant funding from the U.S. Administration for Community Living to support training of GBV service providers.
- Patrick Smith Partner — Provided illustration and animation for the BFL Secret Garden gaslighting animated film.
- Rinse Rise Partner — Collaborates with Barrier Free Living to provide laundry services for survivors of domestic violence.
- Sanctuary for Families Partner — Partners with Sanctuary for Families to provide legal assistance and sexual assault services to survivors.
- Secret Garden Partner — Counseling and support program for domestic violence survivors operated by Barrier Free Living Inc.
- Sophie Horrocks Partner — Collaborated with Barrier Free Living as a volunteer designer to renovate the lounge at the BFL Apartments program in the Bronx.
- Supportive Housing Network of New York Network — BFL's Freedom Village ribbon cutting was featured in the organization's newsletter.
- U.S. Administration for Community Living Government — Grant funder supporting training of GBV service providers to increase accessibility for survivors with developmental disabilities.
- Urban Builders Collaborative Partner — Co-hosted the ribbon-cutting event for BFL's Freedom Village supportive housing program.
- WomenMix, PLLC Partner — Collaborates with a private practice founded by a former team member to support healing for women of color and the LGBTQ+ community; receives donated proceeds from journal sales.
- Women’s Electoral Lobby Partner — Part of a visiting Australian group that toured BFL's Freedom Village.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Housing-First with Wraparound Supportmethodology: housing_firstBy providing permanent, accessible housing alongside comprehensive support services, survivors of domestic violence with disabilities can achieve dignity, independence, and recovery because stable housing is foundational to healing and self-determination.
- Intersectional Disability and Domestic Violence Capacity Buildingmethodology: capacity-transferBy training providers and transferring technical expertise on the intersection of disability and domestic violence, the organization improves system-wide access and responsiveness because specialized knowledge enables more inclusive, effective services for underserved survivors.
- Trauma-Informed, Survivor-Centered Care Modelmethodology: trauma_informed_careBy integrating trauma-informed practices with survivor-centered approaches, the organization fosters trust, safety, and empowerment, enabling healing and engagement because survivors regain control in environments shaped by their lived experience and autonomy.
- Universal Accessibility as Empowermentmethodology: universal accessibility in shelter servicesBy designing shelters and services with universal accessibility—physical, programmatic, and cultural—the organization enables full inclusion and agency for survivors with disabilities because equitable access is a precondition for safety, dignity, and participation.