March 16, 2010 :: Community

2010 Census: Facts and More

The U.S. Census needs you! Find all of the information you need to help complete a successful U.S. Census in 2010.

CHICAGO – WE’RE COUNTING ON YOU!

2010 Census:
Participate By Mailing Back Your Census Form and Remind Your Friends, Family and Community.
The Census is Important to Your Future and Chicago’s Future.

Overview of Census Bureau Timeline

March 15-17:  Questionnaires arrive to households

March 19- April 19:  Census Bureau Questionnaire Assistance Centers (QACs) and Be Counted Centers (BCs) are open in communities
o    When available from the Census Bureau, the list of sites will be posted on the City of Chicago and US Census Bureau websites

March 15-April 20:  Strong push to encourage all Chicagoans to mail back Census form

April 1, 2010:  Census Day  (Census awareness events to be held across the nation)
o    Responses to the census form should include everyone who will be living at your address on that date. (It is not necessary to wait until Census Day to return census forms, however. Forms should be returned as quickly as possible.) People should be counted at the residence where they live or sleep most of the time.

April 20:  If forms are not mailed back by this date, Census Bureau enumerators will go to your door starting May 1

May 1:  “Non Response Follow-up” begins; Census Bureau employees will go door to door to remind people to mail back the form

Through July:  Residents can still mail back forms

IMPORTANT

The Census count helps to determine how much federal money Chicago receives every year (for the next ten years) for important programs that benefit you, your family and your neighborhood:

• Schools
• Public transit
• Job training
• Public safety
• Housing
• Social services

A few examples of specific federal funding programs include the following (many others):

• Title I Education            
• Section 8
• Federal Transit Grants           
• CDBG (Community Development Block Grants)
• Head Start               
• Workforce Investment Act (WIA) funds
• Medicaid                   
• Low-Income Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP)

** For every Chicagoan not counted, the City will lose approximately $12,000 per person over 10 years.  If no one returned the form, Chicago would lose $33.6 Billion over 10 years.

SAFE (CONFIDENTIAL)

By law, the Census Bureau cannot share your answers with anyone, including federal, state and local agencies. This includes immigration agencies and law enforcement entities.

EASY

Every resident will receive a short questionnaire with only 10 questions that is fast and simple to complete. Mail back your questionnaire right away because Chicago is counting on you!

For more information, call 311 [which can direct you to the Census Bureau’s Telephone Assistance Line 866-872-6868 (English) 866-928-2010 (Spanish)], or visit www.cityofchicago.org (or www.2010.census.gov)

Questionnaire

Non-English questionnaire languages: Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Russian and Vietnamese. For these languages, in-language questionnaires, and assistance will be available through the following: Telephone Questionnaire Assistance, Be Counted sites and Questionnaire Assistance Centers, on the Census Bureau Web site, and through national or local partnership and outreach programs.

Language Guides – 59 languages, Braille, Large Print

Questionnaire Assistance 

A Questionnaire Assistance Center (QAC) is a place in the community where people may go to get assistance in filling out their questionnaire; Language Guides available. Sites can be City facilities or space donated by community groups and organizations and staffed by Census Bureau employees.  QACs are available approximately 15 hours per week, March 19 - April 19, 2010.

Be Counted sites (BC) are locations in high-traffic areas of the community where people may pick up a Be Counted form if they did not receive a questionnaire, or believe they were not included on the questionnaire that was returned for their house. Questionnaires are available in six languages and Language Guides are available (March 19, 2010-April 19, 2010).  Be Counted forms will also be available at Questionnaire Assistance Centers.

Telephone Assistance in completing questionnaires is available by calling a Telephone Questionnaire Assistance center at 866-872-6868 (English) 866-928-2010 (Spanish) between 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. local time seven days a week between February 25 and July 30, 2010.

* Residents can also call 311.