News
Beyond Barriers: A Year of Impact from Community Health Workers and Community Weavers
Eskenazi Health community health workers and community weavers support patients and strengthen neighborhoods around community health centers.
By: Alisha Jessup, RN, BSN, MHA, Director, Community & Clinical Health, Eskenazi Health
Eskenazi Health Center’s community health workers and community weavers continue to play a vital role in supporting patients and strengthening the neighborhoods surrounding each health center. With all 10 community health workers and five community weavers positions fully staffed, the teams are deeply embedded across the system, providing hands on support, resource navigation and relationship building that directly address social drivers of health.
This year, both community health workers and community weavers will also support several key social drivers of health initiatives, including:
- Mothers Get a Lift (Eskenazi Health Center Grassy Creek/Far Eastside Health Engagement Zone)
- Navigating Every Step Together (Eskenazi Health Center Grande/ Northeast Corridor Health Engagement Zone)
- Health Capability Through Language Competency (Eskenazi Health Center West 38th Street/International Marketplace Health Engagement Zone)
- Food Engagement and Access Through Strategic Touchpoints (Eskenazi Health Center Grande/ Northeast Corridor Health Engagement Zone)
- Mothers’ Outreach for Medical Engagement, Navigation and Trust (Eskenazi Health Center West 38th Street/International Marketplace Health Engagement Zone)
Additionally, community weavers will continue expanding Safe Sleep classes at each health center, and both community health workers and community weavers will support Eskenazi Health’s car seat safety efforts.
2025 Highlights: Community Health Workers and Community Weavers
Community health workers are currently operating across three patient-focused initiatives and one community-focused program, with their reach continuing to grow. In 2025, they served over 9,300 patients and completed 23,000 visits. In addition to direct patient support, community health workers connected individuals to a wide range of essential resources, including over 13,800 Food is Medicine connections, 1,250 transportation resources, 3,699 housing resources and 8,702 findhelp.org referrals.
Community weavers continue to build trust and strengthen neighborhood relationships through consistent community engagement. In 2025, they supported community members by completing 2,000 Food is Medicine referrals, providing 2,000 transportation resources and assisting with 1,000 housing resources.
To see a community weaver’s impact in action, a recent Mirror Indy article shows how connecting residents with resources improves health and quality of life.
Looking Ahead: A Focus on Chronic Care
This year, community health workers will place a strong emphasis on chronic care management, particularly supporting patients with hypertension and diabetes. Through goal setting and consistent follow up, they will help patients build sustainable self-management habits that improve long-term health outcomes.
This important work is made possible through the ongoing support and investment of our generous donors. Eskenazi Health Foundation proudly continues to support the work of community health workers and community weavers, ensuring care is coordinated, accessible and patient-centered. Learn more about how you can make an impact on their critical work.
