The 2020 Census and How You Can Help

The 2020 Census and How You Can Help
By: Ashley Edwards, Director of Marketing & Communications, SHRCCI

The once-a-decade population count affects your representation in government, determines how much funding your community receives, and provides data to help you plan for the future. Join us to spread the word about the importance of the 2020 Census and help ensure a complete and accurate count. 

Benefits of a Complete Count
A complete count of every person living in the United States has tremendous benefits for you and for your stakeholders. 
Census Data:

• Accurately determine how many representatives each state has in Congress and inform the redrawing of congressional district boundaries. 
• Are used as the basis for distributing more than $675 billion in federal funds annually to states, counties, and communities to support resources such as schools, hospitals, and fire departments. 
• Inform business decisions, policy, community initiatives, and consumer advocacy. 

What it means to be a 2020 Census Partner
You can make a difference - no matter how much time you're able to commit. As trusted voices in the communities they serve, partners are critical to the success of the 2020 Census. These are some of the many ways you can get involved:

• Use U.S. Census Bureau tools, information, and messaging in creative ways to increase public participation; for example, share newsletter articles and co-branded products and post on social media. 
• Host a workshop to devise possible solutions to 2020 Census challenges in your community and generate commitments to tackle them.
• Provide information to stakeholders about the importance and benefits of participating in the 2020 Census; for example, invite Census Bureau officials to speak to your audience. 
• Encourage people in your community to work for the Census Bureau, and share this link with them: 2020census.gov/jobs.

Why become a 2020 Census Partner?
As a 2020 Census partner, you will:

• Become part of a powerful network of government, nonprofit, corporate, and community organizations with a diverse group of industry professionals. 
• Help ensure that your community is accurately represented. 
• Have personalized access to Census Bureau data tools and products, workshops to help you use data effectively, and one-on-one support from data trainers. 

Not only will you help ensure that the people you work with are accurately represented, but you will also be able to use Census Bureau resources to improve your community. 

Interested in partnering with the Census Bureau?
National organizations interested in partnering with the Census Bureau can contact the 2020 Census Partnership Program at census.partners@census.gov to share ideas about how we can work together to ensure a complete and accurate count. 

State and local organizations can reach out to their regional census center using the contact information below:
Chicago 
Phone: 312.579.1605
email: Chicago.rcc.partnership@2020census.gov.

For the latest updates on the 2020 Census, visit 2020census.gov. 

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