This year has been, to put it mildly, a crazy one already. 2020 is a census year as we discussed previously in the first three parts to this series. By now everyone should have received a U.S. Census survey sent to you in the mail. In the chaos and uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus, the census has been overshadowed and surveys have been forgotten.
Find your survey, take the short amount of time that it takes to respond to the survey, and submit it by mail, phone, or online. So many things are allocated based on the data collected by the census.
The data collected will go into determining how many seats a state receives in the U.S. House of Representatives. The data also goes into consideration when drawing congressional and state legislative districts.
Business owners, lawmakers, and countless others will use the data from the 2020 U.S. Census to make critical decisions. Communities can see where they need new schools, new clinics, new roads, and services for the elderly and youth.
The data collected impacts how federal dollars are allocated. State, County, and City governments will receive federal funds based on the census data that their residents submitted. Federal funds help finance over 100 programs such as Medicaid, Head Start, block grants for community mental health services, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (SNAP/food stamps). The data also impacts the amount of money that your city or county will receive for things like school funding, school lunches, and road construction.
Data holds the key to so much. The information collected from the 2020 U.S. Census will be utilized for the next ten years. By taking the few minutes it takes to complete the survey, you will help ensure that your local government(s) get the maximum amount of funding which in turn helps you. Your kids will receive a better education because schools will have access to more money and all of those potholes you have been dodging will get repaired faster, so bust out that survey and do your part.
For more information about the 2020 U.S. Census, click here.
— By Alicia Couch Payne
RELATED: US Census 2020: What you need to know about it – Part One
RELATED: US Census 2020 Part Two: It really is that easy
RELATED: US Census 2020 Part Three: Privacy and security of your information
