Please fill out your census, now!
Guest post by by Jennifer J. Mielke
Neighbors, and friends, stakeholders, please complete your census!! The current response rate in Baltimore City is 44% which is devastating. The below provides a good summary and includes lots of resources to share, so we can increase this number!!
The Baltimore City
Planning Department has a 2020 Census page with helpful information and
resources on the 2020 Census, including how to complete the census:
Neighbors, and friends, stakeholders, please complete your census!! The current response rate in Baltimore City is 44% which is devastating. The below provides a good summary and includes lots of resources to share, so we can increase this number!!
I
know these are difficult and challenging times for everyone and filling
out the 2020 census form and encouraging others to do so may be last on
your mind, but
WE ALL NEED TO BE ADVOCATES RIGHT NOW. 44% response rate is not enough and a lot is at stake. We all know the tremendous impact
COVID-19 is having on residents, businesses and communities right now
and that is with the funding that we do have. Imagine if we have less
money and representation? Please be advocate for the census with your networks, families, and communities.
What's At Stake?
Four Reasons that the Census Matters to Baltimore:
- Financial Resources - $900 million annually to Baltimore through Federal Assistance Programs.
- Planning and Policy Guidance - population data used by almost every City Agency to set priorities.
- Social and Racial Equity - Baltimore must continue to ensure that the most vulnerable residents are counted - so that the city does not miss out on critical programmatic funding.
- Updating Council Boundaries - Ensure fair and equal representation across all 14 districts.
The graph below documents the programs affected by the Census:
Jennifer J. Mielke is the Director of Local and Community Affairs and Government and Community Affairs at Johns Hopkins University & Medicine
