2 Abington Township Faith Institutions Get Safety Grant Funding

ABINGTON TOWNSHIP, PA — Two faith institutions in AbingtonTownship got community grants to help boost their safety.

As part of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Catholic Church and Old York Road Temple-Beth Am got funding.

Entities can use funding for a wide variety of eligible security enhancements, including safety and security planning and training; purchase of safety and security equipment and technology; upgrades to existing structures that enhance safety and security; and vulnerability and threat assessments.

St. Michael got $40,000 and Old York Road Temple-Beth Am got $13,500.

The Nonprofit Security Grant Program grant funding supports nonprofit organizations - including faith-based institutions (e.g., churches, synagogues, mosques), community centers, and other organizations/facilities - who principally serve individuals, groups, or institutions that are included within a bias motivation category for single bias hate crime incidents, as identified by the FBI’s Hate Crime Statistics publication.

The center is more than one of than 90 local nonprofits that could be targets for hate crimes will be receiving $5 million in total funding.

"The Shapiro-Davis Administration is committed to keeping all Pennsylvanians safe when they are at school or at worship, if they are seeking reproductive health care or social services, and when they are coming together with fellow members of their community," Lt. Gov. Austin Davis said. "These grants will provide critical support for safety and security improvements for local nonprofits across the Commonwealth. We also recognize the challenge many communities and organizations are facing with recruiting new law enforcement officers, and the grants approved today will address that challenge."

This is the sixth cohort of Nonprofit Security Grant Program awards approved by PCCD. The organizations announced today join 488 entities that have received nearly $20 million total in funding since 2020. Based on reported data of the number of people who visit these facilities, is estimated that approximately four million people across the Commonwealth have been impacted by this funding to date.