This year, 2020, is the year of the Census in the United States. Every person living in the United States is counted. The number of people living in each state, county and city determines the distribution of Federal resources and funding for programs and services.
Due to the pandemic and the current political climate, completing the Census is more challenging than usual. Fortunately, the deadline for completing the Census is Oct. 31, 2020, and Sacramento County has approximately 67% completed.
Sacramento is a unique county; it has urban areas, such as the City of Sacramento, Elk Grove and Folsom, to rural areas, such as Isleton and Wilton. Each person being counted in each area is important because it determines the amount of Federal funding allocated to our area for hospitals, roads, transportation, emergency grants, education, etc. For older adults, the Census count determines funding for CalFresh, Medi-Cal, and housing assistance. For our children, the Census determines funding for early childhood programs such as Head Start, free or reduced-price lunches at school, and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. It is critical that everyone in every part of Sacramento County is counted!
As of May 4, 2020, only 27.66% of the AAPI population in Sacramento County completed the Census. When filling out the Census, count every single individual in the household, from newborns to older adults. Everyone. The person filling out the Census form does not have to be related to everyone living in the household. Sometimes, people will only report certain family members, because they think being a relative is a requirement and blended families or mixed-immigration status families do not qualify. Everyone living in the home counts in the Census. We need your help to get the word out about the Census and ensure everyone is counted.
To make sure people are completing the Census, the Census Bureau usually sends out workers who walk door-to-door and ask people to complete the Census. This year, the Census Bureau is prioritizing the health and safety of the public and its employees and will not require any interaction with the public. The Census workers will NOT ring doorbells or collect data through interpersonal conversation.
Instead, a Census worker may leave a questionnaire at the front door with instructions on how to respond. It will give a helpful reminder that there are three ways to be counted:
- Online at 2020census.gov
- Call toll-free (4:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. PST) at (844) 330-2020
- Return the paper form in the provided
envelope
If people complete their Census form promptly, they can avoid having a worker visit their home. Anyone who attempts to talk to you about completing the Census may be a scammer; they’re only supposed to leave information.
If anyone thinks the person at the door is a scammer, he or she should notify the local police. People may also call 1-800-923-8282 to access help in 13 different languages: English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Russian, Arabic, Tagalog, Polish, French, Haitian Creole, Portuguese and Japanese. Organizations throughout Sacramento are ready to provide translation or interpretation services to anyone who may need help completing the survey. You may call ACC Senior Services at (916) 394-6399 ext. 121, if you would like help completing the Census.
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