Lehigh Times

Last week, Gov. Tom Wolf announced $3.9 million that will fund security enhancement projects for nonprofit organizations.

According to a December 15 release by Wolf, the funds will be used for projects at 93 churches, synagogues and other nonprofits that serve diverse communities and are often targeted by hate crimes.

“While it’s a shame this has been necessary, I’m proud to have secured nearly $20 million over the past three years to protect Pennsylvania’s diverse and vulnerable communities from hate-driven violence,” said Wolf. “I look forward to the day when the goodness of humanity prevails.”

Wolf signed House bill 859 in 2019 to create the Nonprofit Security Grant Program. This was one year after the Pittsburgh Tree of Life Synagogue shooting that killed 11 people. Wolf has secured about $20 million in the program, as well as hundreds of projects.

The program is through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), which supports grants to nonprofit organizations that serve people included in the “bias motivation category” identified by the FBI. This includes race, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender and gender identity.

Funding is used for safety and security planning, installing safety and security technology, training, building upgrades and other security aspects. Applicants were able to apply for grant awards of between $5,000 and $150,000.

In Lehigh County there were four projects including: $75,000 for the Hindu Temple Society; Jewish Family Service of the Lehigh Valley received $10,000; the Korean Church of the Lehigh Valley received $25,000 and Temple Beth El of Allentown received $21,207.