Posted on: March 30th, 2020

Hello, mountain folks!

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 U.S., 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 mountain 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.

If you are curious about specific services that are directly impacted by Census data, here are just a few:

• healthcare access: Medicaid, Medicare Part B, the Special Children’s Health Insurance Program, and the Health Center Program
• food assistance: WIC (nutritional services for Women, Infants, and Children), SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps), and the National School Lunch Program (provides low-cost or free meals to students)
• affordable housing: Section 8 housing vouchers and LEAP (Low Income Energy Assistance Program, which can cover gas, electric, propane or firewood!)
• infrastructure support: highway planning/construction/repair, the Hazardous Waste Management State Program, the Water Pollution Control program, and Rural Business Enterprise Grants
• child care assistance: Head Start/Early Head Start and CCCAP (Colorado Child Care Assistance Program)

The above list does not cover everything that the Census count affects. 2020 Census data will determine other data collection and analysis that federal, state, and local authorities and nonprofits will rely on until the 2030 Census begins. In order for mountain-based organizations to apply for funds, they have to prove local need through that data. An accurate Census count is therefore the first step in bringing and retaining critical services in the mountains. Thanks for doing your part to support our community!

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.* 

For more information on what questions the Census asks and what it helps fund, please visit www.teensinc.org/census. Thanks for doing your part to support our community!

Katherine Harvey

Census Outreach Coordinator, TEENS, Inc.

katherine@nullteensinc.org

*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.