Philadelphia Religious Institutions Get Security Grant Funds

PHILADELPHIA — Numerous religious institutions in Philadelphia have been awarded grant funding that will be used to improve security and protect from hate crimes.

Gov. Tom Wolf Thursday announced 120 churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, and other nonprofit organizations serving diverse communities have been awarded $5.3 million to ensure their safety.

Below are Philadelphia institutions that earned grant funding:

• UUs of Mt. Airy, $5,000
• Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History (The Weitzman Museum), $104,000
• Northeast Philadelphia Chinese Association of CultureTrust Greater Philadelphia, $25,000
• Mazzoni Center, $42,624
• Philadelphia Chinese Chamber of Commerce, $25,000
• Society Hill Synagogue, $22,500
• AL AQSA ISLAMIC ACADEMY, $75,000
• Congregation Rodeph Shalom, $74,812
• The Urban League of Philadelphia, $23,163
• Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia, $21,294
• Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel, $25,000
• St Luke's Episcopal Church, Germantown, $20,000
• Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation, $97,300
• Philadelphia FIGHT, $25,000
• Talmudical Yeshiva of Philadelphia, $25,000
• Galaei/Urban Affairs Coalition, $25,000
• Federation Day Care Services d/b/a Federation Early Learning Services, $15,901
• Philip Jaisohn Memorial Foundation, $25,000
• Congregation Bnai Israel Ohev Zedek, $23,439
• Chabad Serving Drexel, $25,000
• Northeast Philadelphia Development Corporation, $25,000

Funding comes from the Nonprofit Security Grant Fund Program, administered by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency.

The program was established to provide grants to nonprofit organizations 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 categories include race/ethnicity/ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender, and gender identity.

"This is an investment in the safety and security of the diverse communities that are the tapestry of Pennsylvania," Wolf said. "It's unfortunate that hate continues to surface here, hurting Pennsylvanians and tearing apart our communities. I will continue to stand with and support these communities in any way I can."

The awardees were eligible to apply for grant awards ranging from $5,000 to $150,000 for security enhancements designed to protect the safety and security of their membership.

Funding can be used for safety and security planning, safety and security equipment and technology, training, building upgrades, vulnerability and threat assessments, and other security enhancements.

More information about the Nonprofit Security Grant Fund Program and the application process is available online here.