The 2020 Census has been in the news a lot lately. Census Day is April 1, 2020, and every household in the country will begin receiving invitations to complete the census beginning the week of March 12, 2020.
Many people are unaware of the magnitude of the census and how the data collected affects each of us, our organization, and the patients we serve.
For example, the free school lunch program is one of the many critical public programs funded by the federal government. For a family living on a very tight budget and with children relying on school lunches, a cut to this program could result in less meals or lower quality meals for the children.
Other funding examples are Medicaid, research, infrastructure, education, and more.
This funding is dependent on the population count in the communities we serve, which is determined every ten years by the census. The slightest undercount would result in the loss of major funding for critical services for where you work and where you live.
The census is important to each of us, to our community, and to Cooper. Please be sure to fill out the census when you receive your invitation in the mail. You can fill it out online, on the phone, or by the paper form. It’s easy, it’s safe, and it’s important. Please encourage everyone you know – your family and friends, our patients – to do the same.
Thank you to everyone for helping to promote the 2020 Census!