Most everybody knows the story about a young woman named Mary and her husband, Joseph, packing up and heading to Bethlehem. But do you remember why they made the trip?
As ordered by Caesar Augustus, they had to be counted -- for what is now known as the census.
Census and Christmas don’t typically go hand in hand. However, this year, on the cusp of the next decennial count, the word “census” is buzzing through the hallways at Vollmer Public Relations. Vollmer recently was awarded a contract from the City of Houston to support its Houston Counts program for the 2010 U.S. Census.
In the 2000 Census, Houstonians were seriously undercounted. This time around, we are working very aggressively to ensure that Houston gets its full fair share of funding based on this upcoming census. Federal funding allocations for education, social services, and transportation, among other things, depend on counting everyone, including our “hard to reach” residents.
Wherever you live, please make sure you’re part of the solution. The 2010 Census will arrive via mail at your home address in mid to late March. The census form must be submitted via mail to the U.S. Census Bureau on or before April 1.
Remember:
• It’s easy – It’s only 10 questions.
• It’s safe – Your answers are not shared with the IRS, with Citizenship and Immigration Services, or any other agency of the federal government.
• It’s important – Houston failed to receive around $234 million because of the undercounts of the 2000 Census, and many areas are still not receiving the benefits they would have received if the count had been accurate. (If you live outside Houston, your city may also have been undercounted.)
Here are 50 more reasons why it’s important.
So, join us on Facebook and encourage your friends, families and neighbors to be counted, by submitting their census form by April 1, 2010.
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