SPRINGFIELD, IL (WSIL) -- Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Emergency Management Agency announced $20 million dollars are awarded to more than a hundred organizations throughout the State of Illinois.
The grants were awarded through the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to help 116 organizations protect against public safety and security threats.
This includes the Fellowship Baptist Church in Vienna for $90,250 and the First United Methodist Church of Carterville for $94,171.
Pritzker's office said the funding will be used to help organizations strengthen efforts to protect against public safety and security threats.
Many of the grantees are places of worship, reproductive health providers, cultural institutions, and education centers who were deemed at high-risk of a terrorist attack, Pritzker's office said.
“As Governor, my top priority has always been—and will continue to be—keeping Illinoisans safe,� said Governor JB Pritzker. “This $20 million investment will provide grantees—from mosques and synagogues to education centers and cultural institutions—the resources they need to enhance safety measures amidst the rising tide of extremism. From Skokie to Peoria, Illinoisans deserve to be able to congregate safely with their communities, and that’s exactly what the Nonprofit Security Grant Program achieves.�
“When the nonprofits that provide spaces to worship, create, and educate are secure, our communities grow and thrive,� said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. “In Illinois, we stand against extremism and hate. These statewide grants are part of our sustained commitment to help broaden protective measures so all Illinoisans can feel safe and well.�
Pritzker's office said the funds must be used for target-hardening activities, which include active shooter trainings, the purchase/installation of security equipment on property owned or leased by the not-for-profit organization, and the hiring of contracted security personnel. Security enhancements must be for the locations that the not-for-profit occupies at the time of the application, and the projects must be fully completed during the three-year (36 month) performance period.
“At a time when threats against cultural and religious institutions have occurred in record numbers, this critical security funding is particularly important,� said State Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield). “I am grateful to Governor Pritzker and IEMA for getting these resources to the places they are needed most.�
“Though we have taken historic steps to make Illinois the most welcoming state in the nation, there has been a rise in anti-Semitism, anti-Asian American hate, anti-immigrant rhetoric, and hate crimes,� said State Senator Ram Villivalam (D-Chicago). “We must stay vigilant and provide as many tools in the toolbox as possible to root out hate. In that vein, I am grateful to the advocates and the work that was done to allocate resources to organizations in our communities to protect our constituents from harm.�
“The 116 non-profit groups will be able to immediately purchase and implement safety measures at their facilities,� said IEMA Director Alicia Tate-Nadeau. “Security equipment, facility hardening, and other operational actions are just some ways these groups are increasing safety measures for their organizations.�
The release also said the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and the IEMA Office of Homeland Security will continue identifying all expanding threats and will work collaboratively with partners to monitor all enhancements and document proven successes.
The non-profit organizations who will be receiving grants are as follows:
-Agudath Israel of Illinois
Chicago
$150,000
-All Saints Academy
Breeze
$267,000
-Am Shalom
Glencoe
$110,296
-Anshe Emet Synagogue
Chicago
$150,000
-Anshe Sholom Bnai Israel
Chicago
$148,500
-Atereth Yehoshua
Chicago
$150,000
-Beis Medrash Mikor Hachaim
Chicago
$150,000
-Benedictine Society of Saint Bede
Peru
$150,000
-Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School
Chicago
$150,000
-Beth Hillel Bnai Emunah
Wilmette
$150,000
-Bethesda Evangelical Covenant Church
Rockford
$150,000
-Blessed Sacrament School
Morton
$30,963
-Bronzeville Black Chicagoan Historical Society
Chicago
$142,000
-Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church
Glenview
$150,000
-Catholic Bishop of Chicago
Chicago
$450,000
-Center on Halsted
Chicago
$142,773
-Chabad of Oak Park NFP
Oak Park
$150,000
-Cheder Lubavitch Hebrew Day School
Skokie
$150,000
-Chesed L'Avraham Nachlas David
Chicago
$234,000
-Chicago Center for Torah and Chesed
Lincolnwood
$287,500
-Chicago Community Kollel
Chicago
$386,250
-Chicago Islamic Center
Worth
$406,500
-Chicago Jewish Day School
Chicago
$75,000
-Christ Lutheran Church of Peoria
Peoria
$150,000
-City First Church
Rockford
$449,000
-CityLine Bible Church
Niles
$149,500
-Community Christian Alternative (CCA) Academy
Chicago
$150,000
-Congregation Adas Yeshurun
Chicago
$134,835
-Congregation Beth Shalom
Northbrook
$150,000
-Congregation K.I.N.S. of West Rogers Park
Chicago
$116,000
-Congregation Khal Ohr Yisocher-Chodrov
Chicago
$150,000
-Congregation Or Torah
Skokie
$140,000
-Congregation Sukkat Shalom
Wilmette
$149,272
-Congregation Tzemach Tzedek
Chicago
$150,000
-Council for Jewish Elderly Robineau Residence
Skokie
$150,000
-Crosspoint Church of Rockford
Rockford
$150,000
-Darchei Noam of Glenbrook
Northbrook
$150,000
-Darul Qasim
Glendale Heights
$300,000
-DePaul College Prep
Chicago
$150,000
-Elmhurst Christian Reformed Church
Elmhurst
$95,665
-Family Health Partnership
Crystal Lake
$52,500
-Fellowship Baptist Church
Vienna
$90,250
-First Christian Church of Decatur Illinois
Decatur
$48,134
-First Nazarene Church
Lemont
$150,000
-First Presbyterian Church
Sterling
$75,600
-First United Methodist Church of Carterville
Carterville
$94,171
-Franciscan Health Foundation
Olympia Fields
$150,000
-Glenview Methodist Preschool
Glenview
$117,800
-Great Commission Broadcasting Corporation
Quincy
$9,800
-Hatzalah Chicago
Lincolnwood
$115,000
-Heartland Alliance International
Chicago
$150,000
-Hebrew Theological College
Skokie
$280,000
-Hillel Torah North Suburban Day School
Skokie
$150,000
-Holy Cross Hospital
Chicago
$120,000
-Holy Trinity High School
Chicago
$150,000
-Islamic Circle of North Chicago
Oakbrook Terrace
$67,410
-Ida Crown Jewish Academy
Skokie
$150,000
-Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center
Skokie
$150,000
-Illinois Organization for Jewish Education
Chicago
$150,000
-Illinois Sikh Community Center
Wheaton
$150,000
-Islamic Center of Naperville
Naperville
$256,346.65
-Islamic Community Center of Illinois
Chicago
$390,000
-Islamic Community of Illinois
Plainfield
$150,000
-Islamic Cultural Center of Greater Chicago
Northbrook
$135,000
-Islamic Foundation of Peoria
Peoria
$150,000
-Islamic Society Northwest Suburbs of Chicago
Rolling Meadows
$148,000
-Israelite Portuguese Fraternity of Chicago
Evanston
$150,000
-JCFS Elaine Kersten Children’s Center
Northbrook
$150,000
-Jewish Council for Youth Services
Buffalo Grove
$98,070
-Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago
Chicago
$340,000
-JFMC FacCorp - Bernard Horwich JCC
Chicago
$300,000
-Joan Dachs Bais Yaakov Elementary School
Chicago
$450,000
-Kol Hadash Humanistic Congregation
Deerfield
$91,313
-Kollel Toras Chesed
Skokie
$150,000
-L'Chaim Center of the North Shore
Deerfield
$150,000
-Libenu
Chicago
$450,000
-Lubavitch Girls High School
Chicago
$135,000
-Lubavitch Mesivta of Chicago
Chicago
$450,000
-Makom Solel Lakeside
Highland Park
$88,030
-Masjid Al Farooq
Chicago
$134,000
-Midwest Islamic Center
Hanover Park
$410,000
