Aida faced a challenging situation when she arrived in the United States from Cuba while eight months pregnant. She needed to find care for herself and her baby quickly. Luckily, she learned about Catholic Charities Dallas’s Parenting in Action classes in October 2023 and began attending them.

Aida was also eligible for services through our Refugee Health Promotions Program (RHP). This program teaches clients how to navigate the healthcare system, including how to apply for health insurance, schedule doctor’s appointments, and obtain referrals for outside care.

The program also offers classes, taught by medical professionals, designed to teach clients how to manage their health and their families’ health. Through the RHP program, Aida was able to schedule multiple appointments, including a sonogram, where she found out she would be giving birth to a baby boy!

The RHP program helped Aida navigate the healthcare system, and CCD’s Parenting in Action classes provided her with the knowledge and skills to guide her in being a first-time mother in a new country. Although Aida faced unexpected circumstances resulting in early labor, her faith never faltered, and she delivered a healthy baby boy on November 26, 2023.

Thanks to our community partnerships and resources, Aida was able to go home with all the supplies needed for her and her son to thrive, including a crib, clothes, formula, and diapers. Aida will continue participating in the RHP program by taking health education and navigation classes and continuing with her case management.

Despite facing many challenges in her brief time at CCD, Aida has already overcome so much, and we are excited to see what her future brings.