Over 60 organizations in Montgomery County, Maryland, have been approved to receive a grant that will allow them to improve their security, the county announced.
County Executive Marc Elrich announced the recipients of the funds that the county council approved last May. The $700,000 in nonprofit grant funds will go to organizations that applied because they are at risk of a hate crime or have already experienced one.
The funds from the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security are meant to be used within the county to help each of the 61 organizations improve their security and deter future hate crimes.
“Coming on the heels of the terrifying hostage-taking at a synagogue in Texas, recent vandalism at a mosque here in our community, and acts of violence against Asian-Americans across the country, these nonprofit security grants are further affirmation of Montgomery County’s unwavering support for our neighbors of every religion, race and ethnicity, and for those organizations who serve them,” said Elrich said in a release.
Citing the unfortunate need for the funding, Elrich noted that the county makes available classes, training, and police security assessments for those organizations who need it.
“These trainings help facilities evaluate and better secure their physical structures, develop plans for responding to threats and emergencies, and better prepare to protect themselves and their communities,” said Marianne Sounders, acting director of OEMHS. “Everyone has a right to work, live and worship in safety and security and we are happy to do our part to help.”
Nonprofit Security Grant Recipients:
| Facility | Grant Award |
| Alef Bet Montessori School | $16,000.00 |
| Alim Academy | $16,000.00 |
| Bender JCC of Greater Washington | $16,000.00 |
| Beth Sholom Congregation and Talmud Torah | $16,000.00 |
| Bethesda Jewish Congregation | $13,392.00 |
| B’nai Shalom of Olney | $16,000.00 |
| Bradley Hills Presbyterian Church | $14,000.00 |
| Bridge City Church | $3,510.00 |
| Chabad Lubavitch of Upper Montgomery County | $8,000.00 |
| Chabad of Bethesda | $13,600.00 |
| Chabad of Potomac Village | $13,600.00 |
| Chabad of Silver Spring | $6,800.00 |
| Chabad Shul of Potomac | $13,600.00 |
| Chinese Culture and Community Service Center | $8,840.00 |
| Chinese Culture and Community Service Center Academy | $2,250.00 |
| Colesville United Methodist Church | $6,750.00 |
| Congregation and Talmud Torah B’nai Israel of the Washington DC Metro Area | $13,600.00 |
| Congregation Beth El of Montgomery County | $16,000.00 |
| Congregation B’nai Tzedek | $16,000.00 |
| Congregation Har Tzeon-Agudath Achim | $8,000.00 |
| Ezras Israel Congregation of Rockville | $13,600.00 |
| Garden of Remembrance Memorial Park | $4,488.00 |
| Hebrew Home of Greater Washington | $13,600.00 |
| HIAS | $3,400.00 |
| Islamic Center of Maryland | $16,000.00 |
| Islamic Education Center | $16,000.00 |
| Islamic Society of Germantown | $3,400.00 |
| Jewish Residents of Leisure World | $5,850.24 |
| Kehila Chadasha | $2,550.00 |
| Kehilat Pardes — The Rock Creek Synagogue | $13,600.00 |
| Kol Shalom | $15,206.40 |
| Kunzang Odsal Palyul Changchub Choling_The World Prayer Center | $8,800.00 |
| Magen David Sephardic Congregation | $13,600.00 |
| Melvin J Berman Hebrew Academy | $13,600.00 |
| Menare Foundation | $10,000.00 |
| Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless | $4,500.00 |
| Montgomery County Muslim Foundation | $7,280.00 |
| Muslim Community Center | $16,000.00 |
| Ohr Kodesh Congregation | $16,000.00 |
| Orthodox Congregation of Silver Spring | $14,000.00 |
| Shaare Torah | $13,600.00 |
| Southwest Hebrew Congregation | $9,000.00 |
| Temple Beth Ami | $16,000.00 |
| Temple Emanuel | $13,600.00 |
| Temple Shalom | $3,519.00 |
| The Charles E Smith Jewish Day School of Greater Washington – Lower School | $16,000.00 |
| The Charles E Smith Jewish Day School of Greater Washington – Upper School | $16,000.00 |
| The Ivymount School | $1,350.00 |
| The Kemp Mill Synagogue | $13,600.00 |
| Tikvat Israel Congregation | $13,840.00 |
| Torah School of Greater Washington | $16,000.00 |
| US International Development Center | $9,000.00 |
| US Zen Institute | $16,000.00 |
| Woodside Synagogue Ahavat Torah | $6,500.36 |
| Yeshiva of Greater Washington – Boys High School | $13,600.00 |
| Yeshiva of Greater Washington – Boys Middle School | $13,600.00 |
| Yeshiva of Greater Washington – Girls School | $13,600.00 |
| Young Israel of Potomac | $7,174.00 |
| Young Israel Shomrai Emunah | $16,000.00 |
| Young Israel Shomrai Emunah Nursery School | $13,600.00 |
| Zion Baptist Church North Site | $9,000.00 |
