Gilead House

Gilead House

Gilead House is a welcoming home for asylum seekers. Gilead House creates a peaceful and safe refuge of transitional housing and community integration for legally present individuals seeing asylum in the United States.

Additionally, Gilead House helps residents access employment training, English classes, cross-cultural education and other forms of support. An essential aspect of the program is providing asylum seekers – many of whom have been traumatized by persecution and flight and are vulnerable to exploitation – with stability and time to heal within a supportive community.

In Gilead House, four asylum seekers live together in community with a resident advisor during 12 – 18 months of their asylum journey to independent living.

Who Are Asylum Seekers?

Asylum seekers are lawfully present, and engaged in a lengthy process with the federal government for their asylum case. Initially, they are not eligible for work authorization and, until they receive a final grant of asylum, they may not access any social services or public medical assistance.

The Gilead House Partnership

Gilead House is a partnership between St. Mark’s on-the-Hill Episcopal Church, the Episcopal Refugee and Immigrant Center Alliance (ERICA), an outreach program of the Cathedral of the Incarnation, and the Chizuk Amuno Congregation. Beyond the collaboration between St. Mark’s, ERICA, and Chizuk Amuno, Gilead House is supported by other community and faith partnerships.