SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, May 19, 2022 (KGTV): HPI note: Hindu organizations and temples are eligible for these grants being given at both the state and federal level.
At the Islamic Center of San Diego in Clairemont Mesa, an armed guard stands in front of a locked door. Fences and security cameras surround the building. Bullet-proof glass lines the playground. For Imam Taha Hassane, they’re now a necessary part of religious practice. Adding the extra layers of security costs money. For that, Hassane and dozens of other religious and secular non-profits have leaned on grants from the State and Federal Government. The most recent round of “Target Hardening” grants came from the California Office of Emergency Services. In January, they announced 290 recipients of $47.5 million. Awardees got as much as $200,000 each. In San Diego alone, 26 locations [including a local chapter of the Self-Realization Fellowship and a Sikh temple] pulled in just over $4.5 million (see list below).
“It’s such a mixed blessing,” says Heidi Gantwerk, the President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of San Diego County. “What a sad statement that we need to raise that much money and spend that much money on making houses of worship and preschools and playgrounds secure.” Gantwerk pointed to a recent Anti-Defamation League study that found anti-semitic attacks had increased by 34% across the country, and 61% against Jewish institutions. A rise in hate crimes across the US has been met with a rise in funding for projects like these. In 2019, Cal-OES gave out $15 million for “Target Hardening.” That number has more than tripled. The Department of Homeland Security distributed $180 million in 2021 through its “Nonprofit Security Grant Program.” This year that number is up to $250 million. DHS officials say they have asked for $360 million in the 2023 budget.
The full list of San Diego organizations that received “Target Hardening” grants from Cal-OES, as well as the dollar amount awarded to each is at source.
https://www.10news.com/news/in-depth/in-depth-grants-help-san-diego-faith-based-groups-improve-security
See also:
https://www.azfamily.com/2023/12/08/us-dept-homeland-security-advising-religious-groups-improve-security-churches-temples-mosques/