Mailbag: Fill out that census form!

Dear Editor, It’s time for all households to complete the 2020 Census! The United States Census is a count of every person who lives in the United States, regardless of citizenship status. It occurs only once every ten years and directly affects how much funding our local services receive. Just one person counted in Boulder County, for example, will bring about $23,000 to the county over the next decade. 
The toll that COVID-19 is taking on our communities highlights the importance of our local human services and safety nets as many of us unexpectedly lose resources and income. Food, medication, housing, healthcare, and transportation assistance is vital to public health and safety during a crisis–so it’s more important than ever to fill out the Census! We need to make sure local organizations have accurate data that they can use to apply for funding over the next ten years so they can continue serving our community. 
Completing the Census is easy and will take about 10 minutes. Your information is confidential and protected by federal law. You will be asked for your address, phone number, home ownership status, the number of people living in your home, their relationship to you, and each person’s name, sex, date of birth, and race/ethnicity. You will NOT be asked for your social security number, citizenship status, or financial information. 
Fill out the Census today from your own home to protect your health, the health of your neighbors, and avoid a future Census worker knocking on your door! You can complete it online at my2020census.gov or call (844) 330-2020. Please note that you will NOT need your 12-digit Census ID, only your household address. If filling it out online, follow the link that says “If you do not have a Census ID, click here” when you are prompted for your ID. 
Thanks for doing your part to support our community. 
Katherine Harvey Census Outreach Coordinator, TEENS, Inc. katherine@teensinc.org