City of Anna seeks full count in Census

Anna city officials are working hard to ensure that everyone is counted during the 2020 U.S. Census.

City administrator Dori Bigler said the goal is to ensure that everyone in the Union County community is counted in the Census. 

The city has partnered with the U.S. Census Bureau to support the 2020 Census.

A message posted on social media by the city declares: “As a partner, we’ll be working to ensure that our community is accurately represented.”

The city has received grant funding through the Illinois Public Health Association which will be utilized to support the most accurate Census count possible.

Last fall, Gov. JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Human Services, IDHS, announced that 30 local community and government associations throughout the state would receive a combined $20 million in funding.

The funds were being allocated to maximize Illinois’ success in the 2020 Census. 

The 30 organizations will serve as regional intermediaries for the 2020 Census. The intermediaries then were to select local organizations within their region to make additional grants.

State officials said that the selection of grant recipients by the regional intermediaries was designed to ensure that funding would go directly to organizations that are on the front lines and best equipped to connect with the people of Illinois in urban, rural and other hard-to-reach communities.

My message to Illinoisans is that the Census is one of the best ways for your voice to be heard,” Gov. Pritzker said in a news release when the grant funding was announced.

“My administration is committed to ensuring an accurate Census count so that Illinoisans get both the representation and funding for critical services that they deserve.”

Last year, the governor signed Executive Order 19-10 to ensure an accurate Census count in all communities throughout Illinois.

The order established a new Census office. A bipartisan Census advisory panel is guiding the work of the office.

State and local officials note that Illinois’ final Census count is consequential.

An undercount of residents could diminish the state’s proportional share of federal funding for critical services and programs.

The number of seats Illinois has in the U.S. House of Representatives for the next 10 years also will be determined by the Census count in 2020.

The Illinois Public Health Association, IPHA, was selected as the intermediary for what was designated as the state’s Southern region. The association was awarded $700,000.

The City of Anna, in turn, has received a $5,000 grant through IPHA. Anna is considered to be a grant sub-recipient, city administrator Bigler said. The grant funds will be used in a variety of ways to help promote the Census.

Bigler said that an Anna Census complete count committee has been set up. The committee includes representatives from the city, schools, health care agencies, other agencies and the community.

The committee has had its first meeting and will continue to meet to chart a course to ensure the success of the 2020 Census in Anna.

Bigler said that community events are slated to be a part of the local Census effort.

Plans also call for a computer to be made available at Anna City Hall which will be utilized to help members of the community to fill out their Census forms.

Important Dates

The U.S. Census Bureau released the following “Important Dates” for the 2020 Census on its website.

Jan. 21: The U.S. Census Bureau started counting the population in remote Alaska. The count officially began in the rural Alaskan village of Toksook Bay.

March 12-20: Households will begin receiving official Census Bureau mail with detailed information on how to respond to the 2020 Census online, by phone or by mail.  

March 30-April 1: The Census Bureau will count people who are experiencing homelessness over these three days. As part of this process, the Census Bureau counts people in shelters, at soup kitchens and mobile food vans, on the streets and at non-sheltered, outdoor locations such as tent encampments.

April 1: Census Day is observed nationwide. By this date, every home will receive an invitation to participate in the 2020 Census. Once the invitation arrives, you should respond for your home in one of three ways: online, by phone, or by mail. When you respond to the census, you’ll tell the Census Bureau where you live as of April 1, 2020.

April: Census takers will begin visiting college students who live on campus, people living in senior centers and others who live among large groups of people. Census takers also begin conducting quality check interviews to help ensure an accurate count.

May-July: Census takers will begin visiting homes that haven’t responded to the 2020 Census to help make sure everyone is counted.

December: The Census Bureau will deliver apportionment counts to the president and Congress as required by law.