“Have you done your census yet?”
“It matters more … in a crisis situation,” said hospital public relations director Traci Plumlee in reference to taking the census, as a way of helping one’s community and local economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“[It] determines how big of a piece of that pie we get … money for services in our community,” she added.
Census data is used to allocate federal funds for use on education, nutrition programs, highway planning and infrastructure, housing, food programs like WIC, medical resources, emergency preparedness and much more.
Plumlee also noted how companies looking to build facilities use census data to make informed decisions, and such data is also a factor in communities receiving grants as well.
The calculation is that, in Kansas, roughly $2,082 is gained/lost per person per year based on census completion, which means that over the course of the 10-year census period, one can indirectly contribute $20,820 to one’s community just by filling out a (now online) form.
“This is the first census that’s online,” said Plumlee, which makes it easier than ever to complete, taking only a few minutes. And all data is kept private.
Plumlee recommended filling out the census online, especially given recommendations about social distancing, though it is possible to complete everything over the phone. Physical letters sent out by the Census Bureau list both phone numbers and instructions for completion.
In contrast to previous years, due to COVID-19, the Census Bureau will not be hiring local people to administer the census, and so no one will be traveling door-to-door, at least not at this time. Nor will people be able to visit public sites to receive assistance, such as the library, city hall or courthouse.
“It’s up to people to complete on their own,” Plumlee said, but emphasized the ease of the process. She also encouraged people to tell their friends and encourage others to participate.
She further suggested “friendly competition” between communities on census completion, which one can track and share online by going to https://2020census.gov/en/response-rates.html.
As of April 1, Moran had the highest response rate in Allen County at 47.1%. Humboldt was at 46%, and Iola was at 41.8%.
“The 2020 Census is more than a population count,” said Plumlee. “It’s an opportunity to help shape the future of our community.”
The self-response window runs March 12 through July 31.
Follow “Count Me In Allen County Kansas” on Facebook for more information.
