West Chester, Pa (March 12, 2026) – Five Chester County nonprofit organizations serving diverse communities were awarded state funding to prevent crime by enhancing the safety and security of their facilities, state Senator Carolyn Comitta announced.
The funds, approved this week by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD), are as follows:
- $150,000 for St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church in Oxford.
- $100,000 for the YMCA of Greater Brandywine.
- $75,000 for the Islamic Society of Chester County.
- $25,000 for Holcomb Associates.
- $25,000 for the Episcopal Church of the Trinity in Coatesville.
The funding for Chester County organizations, $375,000 in total, comes as part of $10.8 million awarded statewide through the Pennsylvania Nonprofit Security Grant Fund Program.
Established by the legislature in Act 83 of 2019, the Pennsylvania Nonprofit Security Grant Fund Program provides grants to nonprofit organizations that principally serve individuals, groups, or institutions that often face bias and hate crimes. Eligible grant projects include a variety of measures to enhance security, ranging from equipment and technology upgrades to planning, threat awareness, and response training.
Comitta, then a state representative, voted for the legislation (House Bill 859) that created the Pennsylvania Nonprofit Security Grant Fund Program. Last year, she supported doubling the program’s investment from $5 million to $10 million in the state budget.
“As our Muslim friends and neighbors continue to observe Ramadan, Jewish families prepare for Passover, and Christians look forward to Easter, we’re reminded that religious liberty is the foundation of our shared values – values that welcome people from all backgrounds, ethnicities, and faith traditions to live in peace,” Comitta said. “Being different should not make you the target of hate-based harassment, threats, or violence. I hope these investments help give community members added peace of mind that we all have the right to live freely, safely, and without fear.”
The Pennsylvania Nonprofit Security Grant Fund Program, now in its seventh year, was established in response to the 2018 attack on the Jewish community at the Tree of Life, New Light, and Dor Hadash congregations in Pittsburgh.
Since its inception, the program has provided $25 million in funding to more than 580 organizations. Based on the number of people who visit these facilities, an estimated four million people across the Commonwealth have been impacted by this funding to date.
PCCD selects awardees in consultation with the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and the Pennsylvania State Police. Eligible applicants are included within a bias motivation category for single bias hate crime incidents as identified by the FBI’s Hate Crime Statistics publication. The categories include race/ethnicity/ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender, and gender identity.
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