C
ensus: noun, an official count or survey of a population, typically recording various details of individuals.
Many of us know about the Census - that survey that comes around once a decade. What you might not know is all the ways the Census results impact our daily lives. The Census tells us who we are and where we are going as a nation.
The Census helps our communities determine where to build everything from schools to supermarkets, and homes to hospitals. It helps the government decide how to distribute funds and assistance to states and localities. It is also used to draw the lines of legislative districts and reapportion the seats each state holds in Congress. The list goes on, including programs to: support rural areas, restore wildlife, prevent child abuse, prepare for wildfires, and provide housing assistance for older adults.
You might recall taking the Census with an in-person fieldworker. This year, however, the Census will move away from paper as the primary method to collect data for the first time since its inception in 1790. For the 2020 Census, you can respond online at
www.my2020census.gov
, by mail, or by phone at 1-844-330-2020. With the outbreak of COVID-19 and more options for self response, fewer fieldworkers will be going door-to-door. Be sure you do your part and be counted!
