Census bureau encourage families to fill out 2020 Census to help emergency resources

Less than half Central Florida counties have filled out Census forms

FILE - This March 19, 2020 file photo shows an envelope containing a 2020 census letter mailed to a U.S. resident, in Glenside, Pa. Three metro areas in in Texas had some of the biggest population gains over the past decade, according to figures released Thursday, March 26 by the U.S. Census Bureau. Dallas increased by 1.2 million people, the most of any U.S. metro area, followed by Houston, which added another 1.1 million residents over the decade. Austin grew by more than a half million residents from 2010 to 2019, the eighth biggest numeric growth among U.S. metros, according to the bureau's population estimates. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File) (Matt Rourke, Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

ORLANDO, Fla. – Last month households across the country received an invite to complete the 2020 Census which determines how many people are living in the United States.

Though the country is dealing with the coronavirus pandemic, bureau officials say this is the time for families to fill them out.

[RELATED: Volunteers raise awareness of under-reported Orange County communities ahead of 2020 Census | Why you should fill out the 2020 census]

"Right now that we are in the pandemic, we are finding out the real importance of emergency preparedness and healthcare programs for healthcare centers and food for children," Marilyn Stephens with the U.S. Census Bureau said.

According to 2020census.gov, Orange County only 34% percent of households have filled out the Census form and Seminole County 40% and Osceola County only 29% as of March 30th.

Stephens said they do expect the response rate to soar despite the virus because so many families are at home social distancing.

“I think it’s helping us complete it because people are saying wow I can do this online or I could do it by phone,” Stephens explained. April 1st is observed as “Census Day” nationwide.


About the Author:

Ezzy Castro is a multimedia journalist on News 6's morning team who has a passion for telling the stories of the people in the Central Florida community. Ezzy worked at WFOR CBS4 in South Florida and KBMT in Beaumont, Texas, where she covered Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Being from Miami, Ezzy loves Cuban coffee and croquetas!

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