ORLANDO, Fla. – Leaders in Orange County are pushing for families to complete their 2020 Census forms before workers begin visiting households that have not responded.
During a news conference on Monday, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said the county is promoting Tuesday as a census day of action.
"During times of emergency, our census numbers play an important role in making sure that we can access our share of federal funding," Demings said.
Marilyn Stephens is the assistant regional census manager in Atlanta and told News 6 that many families have likely put their census duty on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"With this pandemic, we found out we have multiple priorities and things become top of mind in a moment," Stephens said.
Starting Aug. 11, census workers will begin going door-to-door to stress the importance of this year’s count.
"We have a simple message, time is running out," Stephens said. "Take less than ten minutes to ensure that your community gets its fair share over the next ten years."
Stephens said the pandemic also illustrates the vital role the census plays in the allocation of federal funding.
"When you don't include everyone in the count, large segments of the population are left out and you can go ten years scrambling for funds for central programs," she said.
The deadline to complete the census is Oct. 31, but everyone is encouraged to complete their form as soon as possible.
For further details about how to complete the census, visit https://my2020census.gov/