Oregon's US senators announce $20M in anti-terrorism and disaster grants

PORTLAND, Ore. (KGW) — Millions of federal dollars are coming to Oregon to guard against terrorism and deal with natural disasters, according to Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, who announced the investments on Thursday.

It adds up to $20 million, in the form of grants awarded to public and tribal agencies where most of the money goes. But there are a few dozen smaller grants going to non-profit organizations that are at higher risk of terrorist attack.

In the Portland metro area, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security grants were awarded to eight Jewish organizations, mostly synagogues, like Congregation Beth Israel in Northwest Portland.

“We love our campus, we love our location and there are challenges to being an urban location, and those challenges are not new but they’re increasing,” said Senior Rabbi Michael Cahana.

Some of the challenges are concerns about growing antisemitism and terrorist threats across the country.

Cahana is quick to say his congregation feels the love from most of Portland.

“We remain a welcoming community and we are proud of our identity and we know that antisemitism is not reflected by the majority of our community by any means, and yet individual bad actors are also a reality,” said the congregation leader.

Like most awarded a grant, Congregation Beth Israel will receive $150,000. It will go to add more lighting on the large campus and make security systems already in place more cohesive.

In southwest Portland, Mittleman Jewish Community Center serves the area and includes a day school, the Portland Jewish Academy. It has also been awarded a grant this year that will go to add more bullet-resistant glass, improve security camera systems inside and out and train staff.

“Sadly we occasionally find flyers and have graffiti, several years ago we had a bomb threat, so there have been a number of incidents that have made us concerned, and when we look at what’s happening regionally and nationally we know it’s important to be proactive about security,” said Executive Director Stebe Albert.

Both organizations have applied for and been awarded similar grants in the past, to help improve safety.

Here is a list of all recipients of the Homeland Security grant awards as reported in the Merkley/Wyden press release:

$4,847,500 from the State Homeland Security Program (SHSP) to address identified planning, organization, equipment, training, and exercise needs to prevent, protect against, prepare for, and respond to acts of terrorism.

$3,800,000 to the Portland area from the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) to assist in building an enhanced and sustainable capacity to prevent, protect against, prepare for, and respond to acts of terrorism.

$5,343,682 under the Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) Program to assist state, local, tribal, and territorial emergency management agencies in obtaining the resources required to support the National Preparedness Goal’s associated mission areas and core capabilities to build a culture of preparedness.

$2,137,693 under the Transit Security Grant Program (TSGP) to the Lane Transit District for enhancement of security measures at critical transit infrastructure including bus, ferry, and rail systems.

$1,202,632 under the Nonprofit Security Grant Program – Urban Area (NSGP-UA) to nonprofits in the Portland area to support the security of local nonprofits and help integrate preparedness activities of nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of a terrorist attack with broader state and local preparedness efforts.

Individual recipients under this grant program can be found below:

$150,000 for Chabad of NE Portland
$150,000 for Congregation Ahavath Achim
$150,000 for Congregation Beth Israel
$150,000 for Congregation Kesser Israel
$150,000 for Congregation Neveh Shalom
$150,000 for Congregation Shir Tikvah
$150,000 for Portland Jewish Academy
$92,500 for Havurah Shalom

$2,404,231 under the Nonprofit Security Grant Program – State (NSGP-S) to nonprofits outside the Portland area to support the security of local nonprofits and help integrate preparedness activities of nonprofit organizations that are at high risk of a terrorist attack with broader state and local preparedness efforts.

Individual recipients under this grant program can be found below:

$150,000 for B’nai B’rith Men’s Camp Association
$150,000 for the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum and The Captain Michael King Smith Educational Institute
$150,000 for the Jewish Community Havurah of Southern Oregon
$150,000 for Providence Newberg Medical Center
$150,000 for Providence Seaside Hospital
$150,000 for St. Mary’s Academy – The Dalles
$150,000 for St. Mary’s Academy – The Dalles
$150,000 for Temple Beth Israel of Eugene
$149,625 for Linfield University
$148,500 the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry
$147, 020 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend
$129,148 for the Jewish Community of Central Oregon
$96,000 for the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry – Coastal Discovery Center at Camp Gray
$87,474 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend
$74,935 for Santiam Hospital & Clinics
$72,473 for Santiam Medical Clinic
$72,473 for Sublimity Medical Clinic
$65,000 for Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital
$41,372 for the Salem Jewish Congregation