Census 2020 is just around the corner, and the Human Development Commission, your local community action agency, wants people to know how important the Census is to each and every one of us.
The Census helps ensure our communities receive much needed state and federal resources. Approximately $2,000 per person per year is distributed based on the census count, for each of the next ten years. So if a family of five did not complete the census, our communities would lose $100,000 in funding that provides much needed services to our community and our neighbors.
Census 2020 is also important because counting the number of people in our local communities determines how many representatives from our area serve in Congress, how much funding is provided to fix our federal roads, Pell grants for our children attending college, and free and reduced school lunch and breakfast programs just to name a few.
The funding that comes from federal government is already collected and it’s important that those funds come to our local communities. We know that larger population centers, i.e. the big cities, get a lot of financial resources, but in the Thumb we need our fair share as well.
We want you to be prepared. In March of 2020 you will receive a post card in the mail with several different ways to complete the census—on-line, by phone, or by postal mail. If you do not complete your census in a timely fashion, census personnel will start knocking on doors in May. If you want more information on Census 2020, go to Census.gov or becountedmi2020.com.
Please take advantage of this opportunity to make your voice count! You are important, and our community needs your participation to thrive!
—Lisa Meyer,
Human Development Commission Early Head Start Director
