Maryland Delegation Announces Over $15 Million to Strengthen Security at Houses of Worship

U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin and Congressmen Steny H. Hoyer, Dutch Ruppersberger, John Sarbanes, Kweisi Mfume, Jamie Raskin, David Trone and Glenn Ivey (all D-Md.) today announced $15,910,021 in fiscal year 2023 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) preparedness grants to strengthen security at houses of worship in Maryland. 

The federal funds come through the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which helps high-risk nonprofits, including faith-based institutions, to obtain resources required to support and integrate preparedness activities with broader state and local efforts.

“Religious freedom is one of the defining promises of our democracy,” said the lawmakers. “As hate-fueled attacks increase throughout the country and world, we must dedicate our resources to protecting citizens who exercise the sacred right to practice their faith. These grants will ensure that houses of worship from Mountain Maryland to the Eastern Shore are equipped with the latest tools to keep their communities safe.”

A full list of the recipients, who were selected by DHS, is below:

• Adat Shalom Reconstructionist Congregation – $150,000
• Agudath Isreal of Greenspring - $150,000
• Ahavat Shalom Congregation Inc. - $150,000
• Bais Yaakov School for Girls, Inc. - $150,000
• Baltimore Children's Museum, INC, dba Port Discovery - $150,000
• Baltimore Hebrew Congregation - $150,000
• Bas Melech Performing Arts Center, Inc. - $150,000
• Beis Medrash of Ranchleigh, Inc. - $150,000
• Bells United Methodist Church – $150,000
• Beth Am In-Town Synagogue - $150,000
• Beth El Congregation of Baltimore, Inc. - $150,000
• Beth Shalom Congregation Inc. - $150,000
• Beth Sholom Congregation - $150,000
• Beth Sholom Congregation and Talmud Torah – $150,000
• Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha – Beltsville – $150,000
• Bnai Jacob Shaarei Zion Congregation, Inc. - $150,000
• Bnai Shalom of Olney -- $150,000
• Chabad Community Center Germantown-Clarksburg – $150,000
• Chabad of Catonsville, Inc. - $150,000
• Cheder Chabad, Inc. - $150,000
• Chizuk Amuno Congregation and Schools - $150,000
• Chofetz Chaim Adath Bnei Israel Congregation Inc. - $150,000
• Community Christian Church of Maryland, Inc. $150,000
• Congregation Ariel Russian Community Synagogue, Inc. - $150,000
• Congregation Beit Yaakov - $150,000
• Congregation B'nai Tzedek – $150,000.00
• Congregation Kneseth Israel - $150,000
• Congregation Ohel Levi Yitzchok Lubavitch - $150,000
• Congregation Ohel Moshe - $150,000
• Congregation Tiferes Yisroel of Baltimore Incorporated - $150,000
• Emmanuel Baptist Church - $150,000
• Episcopal Church of Our Saviour, Hillandale -- $150,000
• First Christian Community Church of Annapolis - $150,000
• Greater Baltimore Church of Christ - $150,000
• Islamic Leadership Institute of America, Inc. - $150,000
• Islamic Society of Frederick - $150,000
• Islamic Society of Northern Baltimore, Inc. - $150,000
• Islamic Society of Western MD - $150,000
• Jewish Community Services  - $150,000
• Khal Ahavas Yisrael Tzemach Tzedek - $150,000
• Kol Torah of Baltimore Inc. - $150,000
• Lighthouse Christian Academy - $150,000
• Lubavitch of Howard County - $150,000
• Masjid Ul Haqq Inc. - $150,000
• Melvin J. Berman Hebrew Academy – $150,000
• Mesivta Neimus Hatorah Inc. - $150,000
• Miracle City Church - $150,000
• Moses Montefiore Anshe Emunah Hebrew Congregation - $150,000
• Muslim Family Center Incorporated - $150,000
• New Shiloh Baptist Church - $150,000
• Ohel Yakov Congregation - $150,000
• Ohr Menachem Jewish Center, Inc. - $150,000
• Our Lady of the Mountains Roman Catholic Congregation, Inc. - $150,000
• Rock City Church, Inc. - $150,000
• Saint John's Catholic Prep - $150,000
• Sharp Street Memorial United Methodist Church - $150,000
• Shearith Israel Congregation Inc. - $150,000
• Shomrim of Baltimore Inc. - $150,000
• Sri Siva Vishnu Temple Trust -- $150,000
• St. Charles Lifestream Church of the Nazarene - $150,000
• St. John Catholic Church - $150,000
• St. Matthews United Methodist Church – $150,000
• STAR-K Certification, Inc. - $150,000
• Suburban Orthodox Congregation - $150,000
• The Community of Kollel Inc. - $150,000
• The Islamic Society of Baltimore MD, Inc. - $150,000
• The Orthodox Congregation of Silver Spring – $150,000
• Torah Institute of Baltimore Dba Machzikei Torah Inc - $150,000
• Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church - $150,000
• Joy Reigns Lutheran Church - $149,989
• First Baptist Church of Crofton - $149,968
• Mikvah of Baltimore, Inc. - $149,860
• Saint Jane Frances de Chantal Church - Rectory-Office Facility – $149,875
• Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Roman Catholic Congregation, Inc. - $149,830
• Saint Jane Frances de Chantal Church - Church Facility – $149,730
• Holy Family Catholic Church - $149,702
• Greater Grace World Outreach, Inc. - $149,657
• Saint Jane Frances de Chantal Church - School Facility – $149,575
• Forcey Bible Church – $149,561
• Islamic Society of Carroll County - $149,546
• Shaare Torah, Inc – $149,000
• Turkish American Community Center, Inc – 9610 – $148,887
• Free Gospel Church of Bryans Road, Inc. - $148,050
• Ames United Methodist Church - $147,905
• The Salvation Army (Boys & Girls Club of Glen Burnie) - $147,000
• Turkish American Community Center, Inc. – 9710 – $146,138
• Elderon Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, Inc. - $142,000
• Easton Church of God - $140,904
• St. Michael's Poplar Springs Roman Catholic Congregation, Inc. - $138,252
• Christ Reformed United Church of Christ - $133,981
• Miracle International Praise Ministries – $131,000
• Wilson United Methodist Church - $130,900
• Jewish Uniformed Service Association of Maryland - $126,525
• Jewish Cemetery Association of Greater Baltimore - $125,000
• Cherubim & Seraphim Surulere Church of Maryland - $121,150
• Unitarian Universalist Church of Annapolis - $117,805
• Friends Meeting School, Inc - $106,350
• Mercaz Torah and Tefilah Inc - $105,000
• First Baptist Church of Highland Park – $103,700
• Heritage Baptist Church - $102,100
• New Beginnings Seventh Day Adventist Church - $100,000
• St. Maria Goretti Catholic High School - $98,912
• Community Christian Church of Maryland Inc. - $98,125
• Central Baptist Church of Baltimore City - $93,770
• Prince George’s Muslim Association, Inc. – $91,400
• West Liberty United Methodist Church - $87,800
• Real Life Wesleyan Church - $87,163
• Galilee Baptist Church – $81,025
• Hatzalah of Baltimore, Inc. - $63,000
• Chesapeake Church - $62,187
• Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church - $62,050
• The Beth Abraham Congregation of Baltimore City - $60,000
• Mosdos Kehal Chassidim Inc. - $60,000
• Kehilath Bnai Torah - $56,000
• Real Life Wesleyan Church - $55,663
• Hatzalah of Baltimore, Inc. - $52,600
• Manna Bible Baptist Church - $45,886
• Shechem Covenant Outreach Ministries – $45,500

The Department of Homeland Security awarded more than $2 billion in FY 2023 to help prepare against threats and natural disasters. The total amount for each grant program is set by Congress and the allocations are made by the Department.