Families of all sizes participated in workshops at the Refugee Health Fair, an event organized by the International Rescue Committee in Salt Lake City.
A mother and her daughter participate in workshops at the Refugee Health Fair on June 15th.
Photo: Macy Westbrook/IRC

Each year, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Salt Lake City’s health program staff organize and host the Refugee Health Fair providing an opportunity for newly arrived refugees to learn more about healthcare in the U.S., discover available health resources and positively integrate into the community.

Macy Westbrook, health outreach AmeriCorps VISTA, explains, “The [Refugee Health Fair] is a great way for community members to reach out to the refugee community and build lasting relationships by educating them on healthy behaviors and different resources they can access."

This year nearly 100 newly arrived refugees attended the fair, held at the Refugee Education & Training Center. Attendees participated in various workshops with topics ranging from healthy relationships, taught by the Rape Recovery Center, navigating the healthcare system, good ways to mentally deal with stress and nutrition. The event was family-friendly, including two workshops for the children, one about nutrition and the other focused on dental hygiene. Throughout the event, the University of Utah’s Wellness Bus provided health screenings for diabetes and high blood pressure.

Refugee children participate in workshops at the Refugee Health Fair, an event organized by the International Rescue Committee in Salt Lake City.
Refugee children learn about nutrition and how to make salsa at a workshop taught by EATS, a Park City nonprofit focused on developing lifelong healthy eating habits for students.
Photo: Macy Westbrook/IRC

Through the Refugee Health Fair, the IRC’s health team helps newly arrived refugee individuals and families think about and plan for their long-term wellbeing, not just focus on immediate needs.

Pamela Silberman, health program manager, hopes attendees take something from the fair and incorporate into their personal lives: “I think if [the participants] go home with one thing—if they learn a breathing exercise, if they remember how to floss their teeth, if they know the signs of pre-diabetes—that's a win for me because it is an ongoing process of learning this information and being able to maintain it. We are providing health promotion education on specific topics—nutrition, oral health, stress management—trying to have actual learning take-aways so that clients come and they learn something new that they will remember.”

Refugee children practice healthy oral hygiene at the Refugee Health Fair, an event organized by the International Rescue Committee in Salt Lake City.
Refugee children learn about oral hygiene and practice flossing teeth with the University of Utah School of Dentistry at the Refugee Health Fair.
Photo: Macy Westbrook/IRC

Learn more about the IRC’s global health goals here.  

A special thanks to our in-kind and monetary sponsors for making this event possible:  

RubySnap Fresh Cookies

Health Choice Utah

Trader Joe’s

University of Utah Health Plans

Smith’s Food & Drug

The Bagel Project

Planned Parenthood 

University of Utah School of Dentistry

EATS

Learn more about supporting future health initiatives by emailing us at [email protected].