Shelter, Hope, and Healing
A nonprofit fundraiser supporting
IAFR Jonathan HouseHelp me raise funds for Jonathan House, a life-giving community for asylum seekers in Minnesota.
$220
raised by 3 people
$1,000 goal
Jonathan House resident A.S. didn’t know what would happen when he reached the US to seek asylum. “I thought that they would receive me as a refugee,” he said, “but instead I found myself in prison.”
"I kept thinking, ‘Why did I suffer back in my country and come here seeking safety just to be put in prison?” - A.S. |
A.S. was held in immigration detention for a total of five months. He didn’t know anyone in the U.S., but supporters like you allowed him to find a home at IAFR Jonathan House. Otherwise, he would have remained there indefinitely.
WHY Jonathan House?
Up to 3,000 refugees are currently seeking asylum in our state; Jonathan House currently accommodates nine asylum seekers at two sites, and we dream of expanding this ministry in 2021 by adding a third site. With your help that dream could be a reality! Jonathan House residents receive shelter for an average of 1-2 years and partner with IAFR staff to create a personalized "roadmap" for rebuilding their life. You can contribute to rebuilding the lives of forcefully displaced people right here in MN through supporting Jonathan House today.
A just and equitable alternative to detention:
Your support is even more critical in this critical time of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Outbreaks are common in prisons and jails, where inmates share tiny cells, use toilets beside their beds and spend hours in close contact with one another. Practicing basic hygiene, like consistent hand washing, is not always feasible, because inmates’ movements are restricted and alcohol-based hand sanitizer is considered contraband,” according to Star Tribune.
At Jonathan House $6,233 can provide safe and stable shelter, supportive community, and food security for one asylum-seeking resident for a whole year!
Does that sound like a lot of money? Let’s compare that to how much of your federal tax dollars Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) spends on “housing” individuals who are legally seeking asylum from persecution or human rights violations in dangerous and dehumanizing conditions:
| Jonathan Operational Expenses | ICE Detention Costs |
| Your donations compassionately utilized per resident | Federal tax money spent per ICE detainee |
| $6,233 shelter 1 asylum-seeking resident/year | $36,500 per asylum-seeking detainee/year |
| $519 shelter 1 asylum-seeking resident/month | $3,041 per asylum-seeking detainee/month |
| $120 shelter 1 asylum-seeking resident/week | $700 per asylum-seeking detainee/week |
| $17 shelter 1 asylum-seeking resident/day | $100 per asylum-seeking detainee/day |
Jonathan House spends ~6 times less per resident than the Federal Government to rebuild lives and rehumanize systemically-vulnerable asylum-seeking individuals. | ICE spends ~6 times Jonathan House's program expenses per detainee in federal tax money on detention that retraumatizes and dehumanizes people who are legally seeking asylum. |
Will you give today so that asylum seekers like A.S. have safe and stable shelter in a supportive community instead of remaining locked in detention? |
“I will go on from Jonathan House to live my life,” said A.S. “It’s my desire that many asylum seekers after me would be able to receive the same welcome and love that you have shown me.” |
At Jonathan House, we believe that every life is a gift of God and every individual on this planet bears God's image and is deserving of dignity and respect. Your financial gift helps communicate that with integrity to our asylum-seeking neighbors by offering them shelter and a supportive community.
We invite you to stand in solidarity with refugees like A.S. by giving the gift of shelter, hope and healing today.
We set an ambitious goal of raising $18,000 this November, an amount which—when combined with other gifts given throughout 2020—would cover all of our budgetary operational expenses through the end of 2021 for both of our current Jonathan House sites. But our big dream is to grow this vital housing ministry within the next calendar year. Our stretch goal of $20,000 is your opportunity to help us realize the dream of launching a 3rd Jonathan House site in 2021!