Resettling refugees in Fort Wayne: How does the process work, and what is needed?

Lincoln Literacy addresses language barriers for immigrants and refugees through a volunteer-based ESL program that offers over 100 classes across nine locations in Lincoln, Nebraska. The organization's model includes community classes, workplace partnerships where employers pay for on-site instruction during work hours and a student-centered curriculum that adapts to real-world communication needs. The group has been operating since 1975.

The Heberthausen Asylum Support Group helps incoming migrants and refugees find housing, jobs and learn the German language to integrate with society and work towards citizenship.

Intercultural city workers act as bridges between public institutions and the Arab, Moldovan/Romanian, and Russian-speaking, and Vietnamese communities. They accompany clients to government offices, where their presence makes officials more open to working them, and also to healthcare visits. The workers conduct field visits, communicate via social media, and form relationships with prominent community members. They foster inclusion by helping immigrant communities learn the social norms while also informing public institutions about the social needs of the communities.

When many Latina immigrant women arrive in the United States, they don't have access to the internet to learn about the resources available to them. Únete Latina, a program run by Latinas, sends mobile phone texts to women with supportive messages in Spanish and with information about relevant news items and public services.

Clinica Sierra Vista's Health Insurance Assistance Program helps uninsured and underinsured patients, many of them undocumented immigrants, navigate Medi-Cal enrollment and renewal, Covered California marketplace plans and the clinic's own sliding-fee scale program. In 2025, the program assisted 33,680 Kern County residents.

Casa Frida is a Mexican shelter and resource center serving LGBTQ+ migrants fleeing persecution and violence in their home countries. The organization provides temporary shelter and meals for a small number of people and helps dozens of others connect to legal guidance, temporary work, psychological counseling, and advice on renting safely.

In response to an influx of Haitian immigrants in the area, several Indianapolis community groups joined forces to support them. These groups connect them to English language services, job opportunities, advocacy support, and assistance in registering their children for school or getting a driver’s license, all while fostering a sense of community and connection.

Latino churches like Iglesia Misionera Cristo Vive are acting as social service hubs for parishioners and members of the community, providing food, shelter, English language classes, trauma recovery and immigration advocacy.

The Refugee and Immigration Support Services of Emmaus (RISSE) helps migrants who have attained legal work status find jobs after the state eased requirements for asylum seekers looking for work, particularly in the state government. RISSE offers English language classes, immigration assistance and a case management program. In the past year alone, the total number of RISSE participants doubled.

The OmniSalud program provides zero-premium health care coverage to low-income immigrants without documentation, helping make health care more accessible for those who normally struggle to get it due to their legal status. This year, the program expanded to 11,000 slots and hopes to continue growing.