Houses of worship in Connecticut will soon be able to apply for grants up to $50,000 to bolster security.
It’s in response to a rise in hate crimes, primarily against Jewish and Muslim communities, amid the Israel-Hamas war.
State Senator Saud Anwar (D- East Hartford) said this money will hopefully help people feel safer during worship.
“No one in any part of the state of Connecticut, and praying in any shape or form to their beloved, should have to worry about their safety,” Anwar said.
David Warren is the president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford. Warren said the federation is working with mosques, churches and synagogues to improve security — but the worship centers lack resources.
“They're struggling financially, they're struggling demographically, they don't have the resources typically to do what they need to do in a reasonable, even minimal way,” Warren said. “And so this funding is absolutely critical in aligning those assessments.”
The State Bond Commission is expected to approve $5 million for the program on Friday (and more federal funds could be on the way, according to state lawmakers). Officials say it will likely be a few months before grant recipients are chosen and paid.
“It's not a week or two, but it's not going to take a year,” State Senator Derek Slap (D-West Hartford) said.
They will be selected based on how much grant funding they have received in the past, how comprehensive their application is and how at-risk they are.
The money can be spent on security measures, like cameras and access control systems.
