The St. Joseph Community Health Foundation is a long-time partner of International House, a dedicated non-profit organization focused on supporting refugees and internationals in Fort Wayne. With this partnership, International House enhances its efforts to empower the community and improve access to vital resources.

One of the key services provided is the Medical and Social Services Liaison program, which assists individuals in navigating the often complex healthcare and social service systems. This program addresses barriers such as language difficulties and unclear immigration statuses, ensuring that those in need receive the support they deserve.

Below is a client story that beautifully illustrates the positive impact of International House and the lives they touch. The names in this story have been changed.

Pregnancy can be challenging for any woman. For a newly arrived refugee with multiple health concerns, the process and sheer number of appointments can become overwhelming. In December 2024, Catholic Charities referred Nu to iHouse for advocacy and transportation assistance after she was referred to Maternal Fetal Medicine (MFM) for tests and monitoring.

Nu’s pregnancy was deemed high-risk due to co-existing illnesses that included Diabetes and an infectious disease. She had five pages of appointments scheduled over the following months, but had limited or no access to transportation. She also had no one to accompany her consistently on these visits. iHouse was happy to partner with Nu and looked forward to getting to know her.

Appointments were set at least twice weekly, sometimes three times. While she faced obstacles, Nu rose to the occasion by keeping careful records of her blood sugar, checking herself in at the front desk, utilizing the in-person interpreters present at her appointments, working with iHouse staff to confirm dates and changes if the offices had contacted her directly, and following dosage changes to her insulin that were sometimes communicated over the phone.

In late February 2025, a healthy baby was born. An iHouse staff member took the family to the induction, stayed to help them settle in, and was honored to be present for the birth the following day. Over the following weeks, staff continued to walk alongside Nu as she took the baby to his first appointment with Dr. Aung and completed her own follow-up with OB and Endocrinology. Next were WIC appointments, Infectious Disease appointments, labs, and more. Each of these was another opportunity to encourage Nu, and we were happy to be with her.

Trust grew out of these times together, and Nu allowed her older children to attend iHouse’s weekly summer camp. Not only that, but when her middle child needed lab work done recently, she reached out for assistance. As Nu and her family continue to take bold steps in what they do on their own, we still help with appointments almost monthly.

Learning new systems in a new land with a new language is daunting, especially when you’re doing it for two. Nu faced each challenge with strength and determination, and iHouse was thankful to walk alongside her every step of the way.