2010 census helps provide funds for community development

The U. S. Census Bureau is the authoritative source of information about the nation’s population characteristics, such as how many people live where, income, employment, poverty, ethnicity and housing status. Federal, state and private funders require RCAC and other nonprofit organizations to use census data in their funding proposals to verify need and qualifications of target communities. For example, some funders might want to support projects in communities where a certain proportion of its residents are in a specific income category or percentage in poverty. A service organization that combats homelessness may have to document a lack of affordable housing and high homeless count in its community.

It is extremely important for all residents, both citizens and non-citizens, to be counted.

It is extremely important for all residents, both citizens and non-citizens, to be counted. The data collected by the census helps determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives and helps ensure that the community is represented adequately in Congress to receive the benefits for which taxes are paid.

Communities will receive more than $400 billion in federal funds each year for services, such as hospitals, job training centers, schools, senior centers, emergency services, bridges, tunnels and other public works projects. The population count is the basis for determining how much federal funding each state and locality will receive for these services.

The U.S. Constitution mandates that everyone be counted every ten years and that has been the goal since the first census was taken in 1790. The 2010 census aims to count all U.S. residents of all ages, races and ethnic groups, including residents who are not U.S. citizens and those who are homeless. While it is difficult to count people who do not have a permanent address, it is important that they are included and the homeless will be counted at service-based locations. Service-based locations include: emergency and transitional shelters for people experiencing homelessness, soup kitchens, regularly scheduled mobile food vans, and pre-identified non-sheltered outdoor locations.

The questionnaire is short (10 questions) and easy to complete.

From February to March 2010, census questionnaires will be mailed or delivered to households. The questionnaire is short (10 questions) and easy to complete. The census questionnaire does not ask for immigration status or social security numbers. Census information is protected by law and anyone working for the census is legally bound never to disclose personal information received. Penalties for any employee who shares that information are severe: up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Responses cannot be used against any individual by a government agency or court.

April 1, 2010, is the actual census day. If the questionnaire is not completed and returned before July 2010, a census taker may be sent to the location to complete the form in person, but the bureau prefers receiving the completed questionnaires in the mail.

Census takers are required to have an FBI name background check and a fingerprint check. If census takers come to your door, you should ask to see their ID. All census workers carry official government badges marked with their name and they may have a U.S. Census Bureau bag. If you are still uncertain about a census-taker’s identity, contact your Regional Census Center to confirm he or she is a Census Bureau employee.

Census takers will have a flashcard containing a sentence about the 2010 Census written in approximately 50 languages. If a resident doesn't speak English, the census taker shows the flashcard to the resident, and the resident points to the language he/she speaks. A census crew leader will then reassign the case to a person who speaks that language. The questionnaire is available in English and English/Spanish versions. There are also language guides available in 59 different languages, large print, Braille and a language reference dictionary to help residents complete the English version of the questionnaire.

To review the questionnaire or get more information, visit the 2010 U.S. Census website. Or call the census bureau general call center at 1-800-923-8282.

There also is an extensive census bureau frequently asked questions website, which is updated regularly.

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