What takes only 10 minutes of your time, but could really help your community,

your state and your country?  It’s the United States Census.

What is the census?

Required by law, the census occurs every 10 years in the United States.  It is a total sum of all  people residing in the country.  These figures are used to allocate state seats in the House of Representatives. They are also used to assist with planning local services and as a basis for distribution of $300 billion in federal funds throughout the country.

How does it work?

There are two main steps that involve the general public.

·         Address Canvassing

Beginning in the spring of 2009, Census workers will be verifying, adding and deleting address information for housing units across the United States.  Workers will use hand-held computers with GPS capabilities to update this address list.  Verifying addresses will make it possible for every household to receive a census questionnaire for the 2010 Census.

·         Census Questionnaire

During February and March of 2010, Census questionnaires will be sent to more than 130 million households throughout the United States.  The questionnaire will consist of 10 questions. It is important to note that  all information will be kept confidential by the

Census Bureau.

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