(Gloucester Township, NJ) – Today, April 1, 2020 is Census Day for the 2020 Census. The Census is mandated in the U.S. Constitution to take place every ten years, but this year the country is conducting the Census during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Fortunately, the census has never been easier to complete, and residents can complete their census online, by mail, or by phone, all from their home without violating social distancing measures.
Why is it important for the Census to go forward in the face of this crisis? The Census provides critical data that lawmakers, business owners, teachers and many others use to provide daily services, products, and support for our community. Every year billions of dollars in federal funding goes to hospitals, fire departments, schools, roads, and other resources based on Census data, and now, in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, the importance of having a complete and accurate count for our state, our county and our towns is greater than ever.
“Americans across the country are getting a crash course on the importance of this count, as census data is used to determine the population of cities and towns in coronavirus models, to decide the amount of resources our hospitals will receive, and it dictates the funding given to schools that have had to rapidly adapt to this new reality,” said Freeholder Carmen Rodriguez, liaison to the Department of Health and Human Services. “The census is safe, it’s easy, and it is extremely important. We need to make sure everyone in our community is counted so that we get the appropriate level of resources to respond to challenges like the one we are facing today.”
This is our once-in-every-ten-years chance to help each other when it comes to federal government resources and the redrawing of congressional and state election districts. If you have not already, be sure to reach out to your family members, your friends and neighbors, your co-workers and community organization members, your faith-based community and everyone you know and ask them to complete the 2020 Census.
For more information about the 2020 Census, including how to complete it online, by phone or by U.S. Mail, please visit https://2020census.gov.