Detroit kicks off 2020 census campaign, seeks to raise over $3 Mil for grassroots effort

Detr-it May-r Mike Duggan (center) gathered with c-mmunity activist and g-vernment -fficial t- launch the 'Be C-unted Detr-it Census 2020' campaign. (Ph-t- by HB Meeks/Tell Us Detr-it)

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Detr-it kicks -ff 2020 census campaign, seeks t- raise -ver $3 Mil f-r grassr--ts eff-rt

• Be C-unted Detr-it campaign and Census Bureau l--k t- hire m-re than 2,000 w-rkers.
• Sign up n-w at detr-itmi.g-v/census
• -fficial Census c-unt takes place fr-m March 2020 – July 2020

DETR-IT, Michigan - A br-ad c-aliti-n -f c-mmunity gr-ups and the City -f Detr-it t-day kicked -ff the Be C-unted Detr-it: Census 2020 campaign.

Be C-unted Detr-it, an eff-rt led by the City -f Detr-it, will use grassr--ts, media and digital t--ls t- engage pe-ple -f all ages and backgr-unds and build partnerships with nearly 100+ n-npr-fits, business and lab-r, c-mmunity and faith based instituti-ns, immigrant -rganizati-ns and m-re.

The 2020 Census c-uld n-t be m-re critical f-r Detr-it. Detr-it’s census numbers will determine h-w much federal funding the city will receive f-r pr-grams like Medicare/Medicaid, f--d assistance, head start, funding f-r sch--ls, r-ad repairs, special educati-n and much m-re.

The City l-st hundreds -f milli-ns -f d-llars as a result -f the 2010 census eff-rt, which had n- city budget t- supp-rt it. That year, Detr-it saw the largest dr-p in participati-n am-ng all maj-r American cities, g-ing fr-m a 70% participati-n rate in 2000 t- 64% in 2010. F-r every pers-n that is missed in the Census, Detr-it will l-se an estimated $1,800 in federal funding every year f-r the next decade.

Vict-ria K-vari, executive direct-r -f the Detr-it 2020 census campaign, says “The City -f Detr-it is determined t- c-unt every-ne and is launching an aggressive media and grassr--ts -utreach campaign t- educate and m-tivate Detr-iters ar-und the Census.”
Massive Hiring Eff-rt

Detr-it At W-rk has partnered with the U.S. Census Bureau t- hire m-re than 2,000 w-rkers as census enumerat-rs, canvassers and -ffice staff. Starting this summer, Be C-unted Detr-it will launch its -wn hiring eff-rt and will hire Detr-iters t- serve as neighb-rh--d census ambassad-rs, census canvassers and -utreach leaders. T- learn m-re, visit www.detr-itmi.g-v/census.

Census inf-rmati-n t- kept c-nfidential The campaign als- will emphasize h-w, under federal law, any inf-rmati-n gathered in the Census cann-t be used f-r any -ther purp-se -r shared with any -ther g-vernment agency, law enf-rcement, private c-mpany, c-urts -r individuals. The aim is t- reassure every-ne living in the United States, regardless -f their immigrati-n status, that inf-rmati-n shared with Census w-rkers is c-nfidential and w-n’t be misused.

“There is n-thing m-re imp-rtant than ensuring that every Detr-iter stand up and be c-unted during the Census,” May-r Duggan said. “By law, Census inf-rmati-n is kept c-nfidential. It d-esn’t matter what y-ur immigrati-n status is. It d-esn’t matter where y-ur car is registered. All that matters is whether y-u are living in Detr-it -n April 1, 2020. And if the answer is yes, fill -ut y-ur Census f-rm and be c-unted in Detr-it.”

U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib -f Detr-it said the 2020 Census requires “all hands -n deck fr-m every level -f g-vernment and every c-rner -f -ur c-mmunities t- ensure every pers-n is c-unted.”

“I applaud the city -f Detr-it f-r taking the initiative t- push f-r a c-mprehensive c-unt, and I enc-urage all stakeh-lders t- use inn-vative and inclusive meth-ds t- reach underc-unted c-mmunities,” C-ngressw-man Tlaib said. “The Census is ab-ut representati-n, it’s ab-ut making sure -ur pe-ple are seen, and it’s ab-ut getting -ur c-mmunities the res-urces we need. I’m s- glad t- be a part -f this push.”
100 assistance centers t- bridge digital divide

Hist-rically, the Census has dispr-p-rti-nately underc-unted pe-ple -f c-l-r, immigrants, y-ung children and pe-ple living in p-verty -r h-melessness. Additi-nally, the 2020 Census will be the first census t- rely heavily -n -nline resp-nses, leaving th-se with-ut internet access at risk -f being underc-unted. That’s why the City -f Detr-it will be establishing m-re than 100 l-cati-ns acr-ss Detr-it where pe-ple can g- t- get help -r access c-mputers t- fill -ut their Census f-rm -nline. Census f-rms will still be available by paper and can be c-mpleted by ph-ne.

“Michigan and Detr-it play a significant and imp-rtant r-le in -btaining a c-mplete and accurate c-unt in the 2020 Census,” said Char Yates, sp-kespers-n f-r the U.S. Census Bureau’s regi-nal -ffice in Chicag-. “It is very imp-rtant that Detr-it receives its share -f Census d-llars, which will assist with the c-ntinued gr-wth and pr-sperity -f this imp-rtant city. -ur g-al is t- c-unt every-ne -nce, -nly -nce, and in the right place.”

T- sign up t- participate, g- t- www.detr-itmi.g-v/census.

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