Martinez, CA – Contra Costa County is launching its Census 2020 Awareness Campaign with a “Complete Count” kickoff event for the public, media and community partners on Tuesday, April 2, 2019 at 12:30 pm at the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano located at 4010 Nelson Avenue, Concord, CA.
“Census 2020 impacts every Contra Costa resident in how each of us is served and represented,” said Board Chair Supervisor John Gioia. “That’s why the County and our Complete Count Steering Committee are launching a major public engagement effort to make sure everyone is counted. We want to ensure a complete and accurate count so that both California and Contra Costa County receive our fair share of government resources.”
April 1st marks one year until Census Day, the day the U.S. Census Bureau takes the census or count of every person living in the United States once every 10 years.
“This event begins our one year countdown to Census Day,” said Supervisor Diane Burgis, Chair of the 2020 Census Contra Costa County Complete Count Steering Committee. “Preparations have been going on for a couple of years now, and I’m excited to kick off outreach activities at the local level to make sure Contra Costa is not shortchanged in much-needed federal and state resources and representation.”
Many households will begin receiving communications from the U.S. Census Bureau in March, 2020. This Census count determines how many representatives each state has in Congress and how over $675 billion in federal funds are distributed to tribal, state and local governments each year. George Washington University estimates that for every person not counted, California and its local governments lose an estimated $2,000 a year per individual.
“Thank you to the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano for co-hosting the Census 2020 Kickoff! It is critical that we work together along with other community leaders and partners to reach out to people who may not be aware of the census, or who may be reluctant to respond,” Burgis said.
The event hosted by the County Steering Committee will start at 12:30 pm with brief speeches, followed by a service project at the Food Bank to support our community and highlight the importance of partners in helping community members to learn about and participate in the Census next year.
