NEWBERRY COUNTY — Households throughout the nation have received invitations to respond to the 2020 Census.
In May, the U.S. Census Bureau will begin following up in person with households that haven’t responded. This year, for the first time ever, the U.S. Census Bureau will accept responses online — as well as by phone or mail. Responding should take less time than it takes to finish your morning coffee.
The decennial census collects basic information about the people living in each household. Respondents should count everyone who is living in their household on April 1, 2020, — officially known as Census Day. Responding to the Census is not only your civic duty; it also affects the amount of funding your community receives, how your community plans for the future, and how many seats your state is allocated in the House of Representatives. The distribution of more than $675 billion in federal funds, grants, and support to states, counties, and communities are based on census data. That money is spent on roads, schools, hospitals, public works, and other vital programs. The Census Bureau will never ask for Social Security numbers, bank or credit card account numbers, money or donations, or anything on behalf of a political party. Strict federal law protects your census responses. It is against the law for any Census Bureau employee to disclose or publish any census information that identifies an individual. No law enforcement agency (not the DHS, ICE, FBI, or CIA) can access or use your personal information at any time. Data collected can only be used for statistical purposes that help inform important decisions, including how much federal funding your community receives.
For some people, it’s not clear how they should count themselves or the people in their home. These circumstances may include people who live in more than one place, people who are moving on Census Day, people who are born or die on Census Day, or people experiencing homelessness. If you are filling out the census for your home, you should count everyone who is living there as of April 1, 2020. This includes everyone who is living and sleeping there most of the time. If someone is staying in your home on April 1, and has no usual home elsewhere, you should count them on your 2020 Census.
It is important to remember to count any children who are living with you. This includes all children who live in your home, including foster children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and the children of friends (even if they are living with you temporarily); children who split their time between homes, if they are living with you on April 1; newborn babies, even those who are born on April 1, 2020, or who are still in the hospital on this date.
Those who wish to learn more about the 2020 census can visit 2020census.gov.