Census participation by Cloud County residents is vital

CENSUS

In light of the COVID-19 coronavirus sweeping the country, the 2020 Census has become even more important to every American.
"The numbers are big for each of our communities," said CloudCorp Executive Director Kim Reynolds. "For example: in Concordia, it is estimated that our community could miss out on $47,261.40 in federal funding, over 10 years, for each household that is not counted."
The numbers are staggering, and the census results especially significant in these times of economic uncertainty.
The U.S. Constitution mandates that the country count its population once every 10 years. The results of that counting affect just about every aspect of our lives. The census helps determine how hundreds of billions of dollars in federal funding flow into communities every year for the next decade. That funding shapes every community in the United States, no matter the size, no matter the location.
On the political side, the once-a-decade count determines the number of seats each state has in the House of Representatives. The data is also used to draw congressional and state legislative districts, which in turn influence how funding legislation is passed for such things as fire departments, hospitals, Medicaid, block grants for community mental health services, and the supplemental food programs for schools.
The 2020 Census provides a snapshot of our nation — who we are, where we live, and what our economic needs are. In 2015 alone, Census Bureau data was used to distribute more than $675 billion in federal funds for health, education, housing, and infrastructure programs. Census results help determine which communities need new schools, new clinics, new roads, and more services for families, older adults, and children.
Business owners rely on census results to decide where to open new stores, restaurants, factories, or offices; where to expand operations, where to recruit employees, and which products and services to offer.
By the end of March, every home should have received an invitation to participate in the 2020 Census. You can provide census information in one of three ways: online, by phone, or by mail.
"Everyone will get a mailed invitation to register," said CloudCorp's Reynolds. "But only about 20% of citizens will receive a mailed census form."
For the census, the government highly encouraged each county to form a complete-count committee. CloudCorp volunteered to chair the Cloud County committee.
"We have 15 volunteers that represent every segment of our communities," Reynolds said. "And that's all the communities in our county: Concordia, Miltonvale, Glasco, Clyde, Aurora, and Jamestown."
Statistically, the population demographics most difficult to count are people over the age of 65, and families with children under the age of five.
"In the 2010 census," Reynolds said, "Cloud County had a 68.1% response rate, while the majority of counties in the U.S. averaged in the 70% range. That difference translates into a loss of funding for all our communities, and the county as a whole. We have to do better this time around."
Aside from Concordia's potential loss of over $47,000 in federal funding for each household not counted, it is estimated that Glasco could lose $49,759.80; Miltonvale - $51,425.40; Aurora - $47,053.20; Clyde - $49,135.20; Jamestown - $53,507.40.
"The numbers are just staggering," Reynolds said. "That's why it's so important for everyone to be counted, especially the elderly and households with children."
The impact of the coronavirus has canceled census registration plans that Reynolds had organized at the Frank Carlson Library, and the Cloud County Tourism Office, to help people without computers fill out the census form. So she encourages people to talk to their friends and co-workers about the census, and remind them to register.
For more information on the census, anyone can log on to the website kansascounts.org. Anyone with questions can contact the CloudCorp office for assistance at 785-243-2010.