Frances Warde Residency Program
In partnership with Northern Light Mercy Hospital, the John T. Gorman Foundation, and Community Housing of Maine (CHOM), In Her Presence manages Frances Warde House, a transitional home for pregnant immigrant women and their families who are unhoused or at risk. Staff provide multicultural social-emotional support and connect residents to essential services ranging from case management to language and leadership classes, workforce development, and medical care coordination.
Who We Serve
This program is for immigrant women and their children with a focus on supporting pregnant women who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Our transitional house shelters up to 15 women plus their children. Walking the halls, you will see children enjoying the play area, babies eating in highchairs in the dining room, mothers attending classes in the common spaces and smell the delicious food residents cook in the kitchen to share with one another.
Languages
Residents come from many different parts of the world and via many means. Since beginning, over 12 different languages have been spoken in the house. Cultural diversity in the home is simultaneously rich and challenging. To help alleviate language barriers and empower our residents to achieve their dreams in the United States, we
provide on-site English classes.
Goals
Our launch program is intended to help all of the women get the stability they need to leave the home within one year. This includes work permits, housing, job placements, access to schools, healthcare, and on-going community support. We provide case management, classes, and community connection events to support these efforts. We believe through these modalities, we can bridge cultural gaps and provide the women who live at Frances Warde House a strong and sturdy foundation to attain fully integrated lives.
"I came to America and the only thing [I thought of] was to save myself and the baby I was carrying in my belly. I met a lot of barriers, and I was not able to express myself. I remember the day I went to the hospital and I felt the interpreter was not saying exactly what I was saying about my baby. It made me feel like I was nothing. When I went to the cafeteria for rice and chicken and they would not sell it to me. That was the day I decided to learn English.
But how could I learn English with a baby?
I was lucky to find In Her Presence, who supported me with childcare and gave me the chance to learn. At that point, I was lacking self confidence.
They pushed me and told me you are more than what you think. You can do it."
~IHP Participant
