Every 10 years, America does a count so that every American counts.
While the last few months the emphasis has been working through the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important that the federal government still gets an accurate count on the number of people who live in Osceola County as part of the 2020 Census.
The government does a census every 10 years, and Make Osceola Count is Osceola County’s initiative to educate residents about the importance of an equitable and complete count in this year’s Census. The goal is to count every person living in the U.S. once, only once, and in the right place.
So it’s important to be counted. If you haven’t already, click here to respond to the 2020 U.S. Census.
Notices went out in March with the goal of everyone filling out Census information by April 1, but the Census asked Congress for four additional months to complete its count after being knocked off track by the coronavirus. So there is still time to fill out this important information.
It takes just minutes to do, and it is entirely confidential. It’s against the law for the Census Bureau to publicly release your responses in any way that could identify you or your household.
As a county, getting the count correct is important to Osceola County and its residents. The distribution of more than $675 billion in federal funds, grants and support to states, counties, and communities is based on information collected through the census.
What gets paid out? Federal programs rely on data and allocations derived from the census, including Medicaid/Medicare, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Title I Grants, Community Coordinated Care for Children (4C child care), and Special Education Grants. Also, funding received by Osceola County for affordable housing and community development is directly impacted by the census. Programs such as Section 8 housing, CDBG Emergency Rental Assistance Program, State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP), and HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) are specifically tied to the census based on our population.
Census data is also used for the apportionment of Congressional seats and redistricting at all levels of government, and to determine where schools, roads, hospitals, child care centers, senior centers, and other services should be built.
And, your response is entirely confidential. It’s against the law for the Census Bureau to publicly release your responses in any way that could identify you or your household. Complete the 2020 census today, and help shape your future!
