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Hope House to beef up security with Homeland Security grant

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reporters@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The Diocese of Samoa Pago Pago Hope House was officially awarded on Monday, a grant award by the local Department of Homeland Security (ASDHS) under the Non Profit Security Grant Program (NPSGP) FY 2019 from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

The grant will be used for security upgrades and installation of a surveillance system at Hope House, said Sanitoa. And the security upgrades is a step towards compliance with the US Centers for Medicaid and Medicare and eligibility for Medicaid benefits.

The total grant award amount was not revealed, because the project — dealing with construction and supply of materials — will go through the ASG Procurement Office bidding process.

According to ASDHS, the first NPSGP grant was awarded last year to the Boys & Girls Club of American Samoa.

According to ASDHS, the grant funding will harden security measures at the Hope House facility from any type of terrorism related activities and attacks. Additionally, the project will further safeguard all residents of Hope House with the installation of their identified priority security areas.

Hope House, through the Diocese of Samoa Pago Pago, submitted an application in May 2019 to ASDHS, in response to a public notice of a funding opportunity under the NPSGP FY 2019 from USDHS, according to ASDHS.

Bishop Peter Brown, head of the Catholic Church in American Samoa, along with Hope House board of directors chairman, Rep. Larry Sanitoa, were on hand during the presentation Monday with the official award letter from ASDHS security grant program administrator, Lisa Tuato’o.