Count Yourself In

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When you think of the Census, think about your slice of the American pie. If you do the math, its easy to see what an accurate count of residents can do for communities. Better infrastructure, more services and how more than $400 billion dollars of federal funding will be spent on things like hospitals, job training centers, schools, senior centers, bridges, tunnels and more. The shortest form in history, filling out the census form just makes good sense.By Shanita Bigelow

Despite being one of the shortest forms in American history, comprised of 10 questions that only take about ten minutes to answer, completing the 2010 Census, particularly for underserved communities, could never be more important, especially during tough economic times, said Marc Morial, President and CEO of the National Urban League .

Not only will it help determine the distribution of more than $400 billion in funds to local, state and tribal governments but, a complete and accurate census count will ensure that your state and community get their fair share of Congressional seats and community services, said Morial, who views it as an essential tool of economic and political empowerment.

The form will be delivered to all U.S. households in less than a month and is supported by individuals determined to account for every resident of the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Through ad campaigns and community partnerships, the Census Bureau is trying to reach generally undercounted populations, largely Black and Hispanic.

Community partnerships like Complete Count Committees (CCC), local groups comprised of community leaders actively engaged in raising awareness, dispelling myths, and encouraging participation, are essential for a wider understanding of how census data are used.

The data collected gauge economic and societal growth and needs. A major factor in improving transportation; education; healthcare; housing and emergency services, the census, is also a tool for marketing,business expansion and job opportunities.

In the 2000 Census Illinois participation rate was 73 percent. In Cook County, the county with the largest population of African Americans (1.4 million) in the nation, as of July 2008, 70 percent of the residents were counted, according Census data. Chicago, on the other hand, had low participation, with only 58 percent of its residents completing the questionnaire.

I understand that some people are skepticaland have growing concerns about privacy, [b]ut I am making this appeal for full participation because the stakes for our communities are so high, Morial continued.

All collected information is confidential. By law, the Census Bureau cannot share respondents answers with anyone, including the IRS, FBI, CIA or any other government agency, according to the Census Bureau.

Census partners, aware of the challenges their communities face, work with community organizations (social service, religious, political and educational) to demonstrate the importance of a complete count because being counted can mean dollars for the community, dollars utilized by those organizations, according to the National Black Child Development Institute.

According to Illinois Issues, one report to Congress estimated that the biggest counties in the country would lose $3.6 billion in federal funds over a decade or $2,913 for every missed person because of under counts in the 2000 census. Cook County alone, according to the report, lost out on $193 million.

In 2000, the Black population in the United States was estimated at 33.5 million and rose to 40.7 million by 2007, according to Census Bureau data. Census participation will give this growing and diverse Black population a voice and power to influence change in their communities, Dr. Robert Groves, director of the U.S. Census Bureau wrote in Supporting the 2010 Census: Toolkit for Reaching the Black Community.

Community partners have a unique and vital role in this years census. They have to reach everyone in their growing and diverse

communities, young and old. Whether through forums held at community churches, educational outreach at local schools and social service organizations, through Facebook or Twitter, these partners, who have been working for the past year to foster a deeper understanding of the census, are sowing a grassroots effort designed to mobilize their communities. For partners, determining what messages will have the most impact, is essential.

One example of such mobilization was an event held last week in the South Suburbs. Just last week more than 20 different communities came togetherat Lincoln Mallfor a four hour event, said Muriel Jackson, media specialist for the Chicago Regional Census Center. In addition to viewing a Portrait of America Road Tour exhibit, participants also received written information, and had the opportunity to speak with local government officials about the ways in which census data directly affect their communities, she continued. There are examples of that going on all over the Chicago area, she said.

Census data are entrenched in everything from the distribution of funds to the implementation and evaluation of programs to laws such as the Civil Rights Act, the Equal Employment Opportunity Act and Fair Housing Act while the data helps guide local planning decisions, including where to provide additional social services, establish child-care and senior centers, as well as where to build new roads, hospitals, and schools and job training centers.

At the federal levelthere are a minimum of 20 agencies that use census data from the Departments of Education, Commerce and Justice to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Health and Human Services (HHS), Jackson said. Census data are used for everything from funding formulas to monitoring laws, she continued.

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