Do Your Part—Participate in the 2020 Census!

For the first year ever, the Census Bureau will be conducting its initial surveys online. In order to streamline the process and receive information from hard-to-count households, it decided to create an online version for those who do not have a permanent home. While we are all staying home for the next few weeks, it is a great time to fill out the form.
As residents of the United States, it is our civic duty to participate in the census. By doing so, it shows the government that you are counted for where you live, and it tells them how to direct approximately $675 billion around your state, county and community for the next 10 years. It is also important because it determines the number of seats each state has in the House of Representatives and used to draw congressional and state legislative districts. It can affect your community by determining how much money is allocated to support teachers, special education as well as programs to support rural areas, prevent child abuse and provide housing assistance for older adults.
You may have already received the initial invitation to respond online and by phone. If your household has not responded by the end of April, a census taker will follow up in person from May 13-July 31. This is usually the case for those who are out of the country or are not responding for personal reasons.
People who are not responding for personal reasons may believe that the census can be used by the government to track people who are not citizens of the United States, but this is not the case as all forms are confidential and the Census Bureau is not a government entity.
For more information on the 2020 Census, visit https://2020census.gov/.