Columbia, S.C (WACH) — The federal government is offering money to non-profits to help them with safety and security.
It is because a lot of religious groups often face discrimination and attacks all over the world and right here in the Midlands.
Just this week a West Columbia church was vandalized with pro-Palestine messages and vulgar images.
A story trending nationally is of a gunman who pulled out a gun on a pastor during a service in Pennsylvania. The federal government is hoping to help protect non-profit organizations from things just like those.
Rabbi Levi Marrus explained how his Jewish congregation recently experienced some of that hate.
“Recently we had an incredible visit from the mother of one of the hostages in Gaza and when she came here we posted the event online and the amount of hate we received was absolutely ridiculous,” said Marrus.
He said that kind of display was once unusual in the United States.
“Unfortunately that is becoming the norm here for us as well. That for us to pray we need to make sure we have security detail and that is something the grant is so helpful for,” shared Marrus.
Since the early 2000’s the Federal Emergency Management Agency has offered grant money through the Non-profit Security Grant Program.
Non-profit organizations no matter the size can apply to receive money for certain security enhancements including installing cameras, hiring security detail, and bomb and bulletproof glass.
Director of Center For Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Marcus Coleman said the grant money also helps with preparing congregations and organizations for attacks.
“The non-profit organization can leverage the funds to work with other partners in their community to do things like other preparedness training,” explained Coleman.
While the grant program has been around for more than a decade Coleman shared that in the last few years, it’s received significant investments due to increased violence.
The Chabad of South Carolina is one of the religious centers in the Midlands to receive the grant.
“These security measures can be incredibly expensive and having the federal grant come in and help us with a bunch of specifics including bulletproof glass, security detail a safe room allowed us to be preemptive,” said Marrus.
Another religious leader Pastor Joshua Carr of Fisher of Men Outreach Ministries recounted the many times he said he’d faced violence and said grants like these are essential.
“It can help with cameras, it can help with alarms, padlocks on the doors it can help in so many ways,” said Carr.