The conference featured insights on access to safe housing, physical and mental healthcare, and pathways to financial empowerment.
NEW YORK, NY – On October 8, 2025, Volunteers of America-Greater New York (VOA-GNY) hosted The Healing Continuum, its annual domestic violence conference. The event focused on exploring innovative strategies and approaches to helping survivors of domestic violence achieve long-term well-being through housing, health, and wealth-building services both in shelter and beyond.
This year, more than 250 guests from across the human services, business, government, and education sectors joined VOA-GNY at the NYU Kimmel Center in Manhattan for a day of learning, advocacy, and networking. The conference, sponsored by TD Bank, consisted of a series of speakers and panel discussions that examined domestic violence services and highlighted forward-thinking avenues for supporting survivors in their journey to attain stable housing, improve their mental and physical health, and work towards financial security.
“Supporting survivors of domestic violence requires a holistic approach and sustained collaboration across housing, healthcare, and financial systems,” said Dr. Jeffrey Ginsburg, President and CEO of VOA-GNY. “We’re proud to bring together leaders and innovators in the field who are reimaging what it means to help survivors thrive, and we look forward to our continued work to improve our ability to support domestic violence survivors.”
The day started with a powerhouse panel of government officials and policy experts — including Molly Park, Commissioner of the NYC Department of Social Services and Sandra Park, Head of the Civil Rights Bureau at the NYS Attorney General’s Office — who discussed housing policy and the safeguards in place to protect vulnerable populations in New York City and New York State.
Amanda Farías, Majority Leader of the New York City Council, spoke about the importance of educating first responders on the signs of traumatic brain injury (TBIs) in domestic violence survivors. Through legislation she spearheaded in partnership with VOA-GNY, Intro 29 would require specialized training for first responders to properly identify and address TBIs among survivors of domestic violence.
Dr. Obianuju Berry, Director of DV Mental Health Initiatives for NYC Health + Hospitals, presented on the research-based impact of domestic violence on the whole family and the trauma-informed services offered by NYC Health + Hospitals to address the effects.
The conference continued with a panel of experts who support survivors of domestic violence through various trauma-informed modalities including art therapy, nutrition and food, and Shakespeare’s verse and classical acting techniques. Featured panelists included Dr. Rei Shimizu, Fellow at NYU’s Center for Violence and Recovery & Assistant Professor at the University of Alaska Anchorage School of Social Work and Dr. Alisha Ali, Associate Professor in the Department of Applied Psychology at NYU.
Panelists Mandy Kelso, Head of Financial Education at TD Bank, and Bobbi Gray, Associate Vice President of Programs at Grameen Foundation, discussed ways financial institutions are providing services for people who are financially abused by intimate partners.
Each year, an estimated 10 million adults in the United States experience violence in the home or at the hands of an intimate partner. Survivors face a challenging road to recovery – 38% of domestic violence survivors experience homelessness during their lifetime and only about 1 in 5 survivors with injuries seek medical treatment.
“In New York City, domestic violence is a leading cause of family homelessness,” said Noelle Withers, VOA-GNY’s Chief Program Officer, at the event. “To truly end it, we have to center survivors—supporting them as whole people, along with their families—not just while they’re in shelter, but long after.”
About Volunteers of America-Greater New York
Volunteers of America-Greater New York (VOA-GNY) is an anti-poverty organization with a rich 129-year history of serving its neighbors in need. The organization’s vision is fueled by its experience as a leading provider of services to families and individuals experiencing homelessness in the Greater New York area. Through 70+ programs located in New York City, Northern New Jersey, and Westchester County—including emergency shelters, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing—VOA-GNY delivers services to more than 35,000 adults and children annually. It is also the largest provider of residential services for veterans within a coalition that has virtually ended chronic homelessness for veterans in New York City. For more information, visit www.voa-gny.org.