By McKenzie Jackson, California Black Media
Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services’ (SFBFS) campus, located on Bell Avenue in the state capital, is set to get a $131,583 security facelift.
The funding is courtesy of the California State Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which has awarded nonprofit community and faith-based groups across the Golden State with financial support to prevent hate-motivated violence since 2015.
SFBFS is home to the largest hunger relief group in Sacramento County and a food bank that distributed 31.6 million meals nutritious meals to people in need in 2023.
SFBFS Director of Communications Kevin Buffalino said the grant money will enhance the safety and security of the food bank site.
“We’ll be adding security lighting, security cameras, access control systems to ensure we continue providing food assistance to over 305,000 people every month safely and without interruption,” he said.
SFBFS was one of 193 community organizations across the Golden State to receive $39 million in awards from the grant program in April to enhance their security. In late July, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the state’s Office of Emergency Funding is accepting applications from community-based nonprofits to apply for $76 million in expedited funding from the security grant program. According to a 2023 hate crimes report compiled by the California Department of Justice, Black Californians remain the most affected group by hate crimes. Hate incidents and hate crimes targeting Jewish, Muslim and LGBTQ people are also increasing.
Newsom said an attack against any community is an attack against all of California and its values.
“Every Californian deserves the ability to worship, love, gather safety, without fear or hate,” he said in a news release. “This new round of funding is aimed at helping high-risk organizations protect themselves against violent attacks and hate crimes.”
Funds are awarded through a competitive grant process in which groups, particularly those targeted on the basis of race, religious affiliation, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, immigration status or similar criteria may apply.
The monies allow organizations such as Black and LGBTQ+ groups, churches, synagogues, mosques, and other houses of worship to implement security equipment upgrades such has access control systems, doors, gates, high-intensity lighting, and inspection and screening systems. Requests for proposals are on the Office of Emergency Services website. Groups eligible include ones exempt from taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code. The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 23.
Because anti-Black hate crimes continue to be the most prevalent in the Golden State and last year there was an increase in bias activity against Jewish. Muslim, and LGBTQ+ communities, Newsom increased funding for the grant program, which added an additional $20 million for nonprofits to use.
The initiative awarded $39 million to nonprofits and faith-based organizations in the spring, following Newsom funneling an additional $20 million into the program in October 2023. The state received 1,254 applications from groups.
The program has awarded $152,750,000 in state funding to 924 community groups since the grant program’s beginning.
Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D- Los Angeles) and Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) said in a statement that the California Legislature will stand firm in its commitment to support vulnerable communities targeted by hate despite budget difficulties. They also thanked Newsom for expediting the deployment of the security funds.
“We have no doubt that this funding will continue to make a major difference in protecting the Jewish community and all communities targeted by hate,” Gabriel and Wiener said.
