Census response in Imperial Valley less than 20 percent

Special Facebook event being held to get the word out

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - The Comite del Valle hosting a Facebook live-stream to get the word out on the importance of filling out the Census.

This is a digital event, happening Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. will be available on this event page, as well as on Comite Civico del Valle's Facebook page, and many of their partners that will be sharing this event on their platforms.

**Because of COVID-19, groups like Comite Civico del Valle need to come up with new ways to reach Imperial Valley residents to encourage them to participate in the Census. They are available for media interviews to share how they have had to cancel in-person events and revise their outreach activities.**

Representatives will discuss the importance of the Census 2020; how beneficial it is for you to participate and respond to the Census questionnaire and enjoy good music!

Confirmed participants include:

·       Michelle Silverthorn from Count Me 2020 Coalition

·       Julie St. Pierre and Diana Rosas from the US Census Bureau

·       Blanca Romero, NALEO Educational Fund (National Association of Latino Elected Officials).

The Comite invites you to join and help us spread the word! Here is why it is important:

· As Imperial County continues to take steps to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Count Me 2020 – a coalition of more than 150 community groups, governments, and civic institutions – is encouraging residents in hard-to-count (HTC) communities to complete their questionnaires online, on the phone or through the mail to ensure everyone is counted in the 2020 Census. The State of California’s self-response rate is 34%. The self-response rate for Imperial County is less than 20% almost half the state's overall.  

· Every 10 years since 1790, April 1, or Census Day, has been the key date nationwide for the Census. When respondents complete the Census, they are asked to include information about where they live and who lives with them as of April 1.

· Over the last two years, Count Me 2020 partner groups have held more than 1,000 events and made more than 600,000 impressions with HTC residents of San Diego and Imperial Counties. Community groups used both traditional and innovative outreach tactics targeted at specific communities that were undercounted in 2010.

· But now, advocates are adjusting their outreach and education strategies to be appropriate and safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet encourage Imperial Valley residents to take 10 minutes to complete the nine question survey. They continue their outreach work remotely, providing “virtual assistance centers,” run by trusted community members, where they are answering questions on the phone and directing community members to online tools. Organizations are making calls, sending emails, and using social media channels to spread the word.

· The COVID-19 health pandemic is a resounding reminder that we have to ensure, through participation in the 2020 Census, that our communities have the federal, state and local funding necessary to meet Imperial Valleyhealth needs and concerns. A complete and accurate Census count confirms how many people live in our area and helps guide the allocation of approximately $675 billion in federal funding, and this opportunity only comes once every 10 years.

Please work with us to share how these groups are working hard now (and over the next few months) to motivate and educate their communities to complete the Census questionnaire. We would love any advance support for the Facebook Live event so we can get as many people to tune in as possible. We can also arrange media interviews with the community groups, like Comite Civico del Valle, on how they are adjusting their outreach and education strategies and share their passion for participating in the Census.