Be Counted!

press release: The 2020 United States Census is massively important to the city of Madison, Dane County, your community, and the people you serve. Don't let undercounting effect the lives of the people you serve and the services you provide. The city of Madison and Dane County are partnering to provide information on how nonprofits and community organizations can step up and make sure the community is county. Wednesday, May 8, 2019, is the first workshop, but others will be offered. Learn more below and spread the word.  #MadisonCares #Madison2020Census.

Wednesday, May 8, 2019, from 2-4pm, Warner Park Community Recreation Center, 1625 Northport Drive in Madison

The city of Madison and Dane County are working to spread the word on the importance of this every-ten-years population count.  To reach traditionally undercounted populations, we hope to partner with you—the diverse community groups and nonprofit entities throughout Madison and Dane County. 

The count is important for two major reasons:

1.       Representation.  Boundaries are drawn for aldermanic districts, county board districts, state assembly districts, state senate districts, and US House of Representative districts based on the census population count, not the number of people who are eligible to vote.  If everyone is not counted some areas of the city, county, and state will be under-represented by our elected officials for the next 10 years. 

2.       Funding.  Over $675,000,000,000 of federal funding is distributed each year based, in whole or in part, on census information – over $2,000 per counted person.  The census count impacts funding for a wide range of programs for affordable housing, transportation, education, child care, health care, and other important aspects of a safe and healthy community.  It is crucial that everyone is counted so our communities can receive our fair share of federal funding.

The workshop will include information about the 2020 Census and focus on how your organization can support a complete count in 2020. 

The overall Workshop agenda is planned to be:

1.      Introductory presentation

2.      Q&A with Census Bureau staff, City of Madison staff, Dane County staff

3.      (Break)

4.      Breakout small group discussions – how can groups/organizations take action?

5.      Report out – ideas from small group discussions

6.      Next steps and wrap up

The main speakers for the introductory presentation will be Ben Zellers from the City, Todd Violante, Director of the Dane County Department of Planning & Development, and Pa Thao of the Black & Brown Womyn Power Coalition (formally the Wisconsin Women's Training Institute). 

The workshop is free, but please RSVP at 2020Census@cityofmadison.com if you are interested in attending.