Local Jewish Organizations Receive Federal Security Grants

September 1, 2021 – Sarasota

With the help of The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee and its partnership with Secure Community Network (SCN), six local Jewish organizations have received substantial grants from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency for security enhancements. 

Jewish Community Security Director, Jeff Solomon, who is SCN’s representative locally, was able to help facilitate the grant process. “I first conducted threat and vulnerability risk assessments at each of the organizations.  I helped them create security committees and provided numerous grant training webinars to help them apply for the grants.  I was happy to use all of the SCN resources available to facilitate the grant process.”

The grants were part of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program which provided $180 million for target hardening and other physical security enhancements and activities to nonprofits around the country that are at a high risk of a terrorist attack.  Of that amount, $2.7 million was provided to 50 organizations in Florida that are located in non-urban, rural areas such as Sarasota-Manatee.  The following local organizations received grants:

Hershorin Schiff Community Day School $150,000
Aviva Senior Living $100,000
Temple Emanu-El $100,000
Temple Sinai $  90,103
JFCS of the Suncoast $  84,250
Jewish Congregation of Venice $  62,840

TOTAL $587,193

Additionally, our area’s Chabad synagogues applied for grants and received a total of $300,000.

Kim Adler, Federation’s Chief Operating Officer, said, “We are so grateful that our Sarasota-Manatee Jewish institutions have been awarded these much-needed security grants.  These dollars are in addition to the $1 million our Federation received in funding earlier this year from the Florida state budget to enhance security on our new campus.  It is gratifying to see our elected officials and government so dedicated to the welfare of our local Jewish community.”  

For more information, call 941-371-4546 or visit www.jfedsrq.org.