If you live in the fifth ward, please pay attention to this urgent message from Alderman Robin Rue Simmons, 5th, and then fill out your census form. It takes 10 minutes or less!
"Fam, let me explain something. This is important. We have the lowest percentage of completed #Census2020 forms. We can complete our census online or by mail or phone. There is no cost to us, and the return is worth millions to our neighborhood families, infrastructure, and institutions--including schools.
Our #CensusTract 8092 has among the lowest household income, we have the lowest life expectancy, we are at the bottom of the opportunity gap and education gap, we do not have a neighborhood school or grocery store, we have tremendous need, and our need pre-dates COVID-19.
Now, the impact of COVID-19 will increase our divide. It has increased our need.
Today we are in urgent need and we're working with partners and staff to address our needs.
Now is our time to participate. If we are counted we will receive our portion of 100s of billions of dollars of federal funds that will stabilize and uplift our families. Aid that will be DESPERATELY needed as we recover from the devastation of COVID-19.
The importance of apportionment is real (dividing the 435 members of the House among the 50 states, based on population counts).
But also, here are just a few of the 132 programs funded by our census data:
SNAP
Head Start
Medicare
Reduce School Lunch
Pell Grants
Section 8
Emergency Housing Vouchers
Special Education Grants
Title 1 Grants
Unemployment Insurance
CDBG Allocations
These programs are vitally important to our quality of life and livability in our neighborhood.
We have the lowest response but we have the highest need.
Please encourage your neighbors to complete the census because we need it.
We need to be counted.
We are currently at 49 percent. Let’s work towards 100 percent by next week!"
See below to find out how to fill out your form. It's easy.
How to fill out your form.
You can do it online.
Then click on the "complete it now button."
You can do it by phone: 844-330-2020.
Here's more info about doing it by phone.
You can also simply send the form you received by mail.
You do NOT need postage.
It's completely free.
Need help filling out your mail-in or online form or want to do your census by phone?
There is help available!
Call Vanessa Johnson-McCoy, a census ambassador, at 773.550.2313.
She can walk you through it!
Need Spanish help?
Call Blanca Chauca: 773.550.2363.
You can also call the Evanston Public Library's "Ask a Librarian" number: (847) 448-8630. They can answer your census questions.
Want to do the survey by phone?
Here is a website that tells you how, and provides information in Spanish too.
If you want to read more about the census, you can find lots of good information here. Then, find the "complete it now" link that takes you right to the census questionnaire.
Be Counted. Census data is used to determine the allocation of $675 billion in federal funds annually to states, counties and cities across the country
and ensures fair representation on all levels of government.
