The 2020 Census starts today! It’s more important than ever to have an accurate count of each person residing in the country. Important things are at stake. This count is used to disperse almost $1 trillion in federal funds across the country, along with determining the number of congressional seats for given areas. Businesses use this data to acquire new customers and target investments. The Census impacts
everyday things like highway planning, school lunches, support for firefighters, wildlife programs, and much more. 

During the last Census, it is estimated that 5% of children living in the U.S. were not counted. This means funds and resources were less than they should have been. Let’s make sure every child is counted. 

Go to http://my2020census.gov to get started! You should’ve received mail from the Census that provides a Census ID. However, if you don’t have one, you can still take it online. Select “Start Questionnaire” and “If you do not have a Census ID, click here.”

Remember the following:

• A child should be counted as part of the household where they live and sleep most of the time, even if their parents do not live there.
• If a newborn baby is still in the hospital on Census Day (April 1, 2020), that baby should be counted as part of the household where he or she will live and sleep most of the time. 
• If a child spends time in more than one home, count them where they stay most often. If their time is evenly divided, or if you do not know where they stay most often, count them where they are staying on April 1, 2020 – even if it’s only temporary.