ANCOR Partners With the U.S. Census Bureau
ANCOR is partnering with the U.S. Census Bureau to spread the word about the 2010 Census. Conducted every 10 years, the census is much more than a population count. Census data are used to reapportion congressional seats to states, and directly affect how more than $400 billion per year in federal funding is distributed to state, local and tribal governments.
Because individuals with disabilities rely on many government and social service programs, accurate representation and funding is especially important. Census data influences the distribution of funding for Medicaid and Housing and Urban Development programs, such as Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers and the Community Development Block Grant.
A Toolkit for Reaching People with Disabilities is available to help organizations that support people with disabilities communicate the benefits of census participation. Among the available documents are a toolkit overview and 2010 Census Fact Sheet. Questionnaire Assistance Centers (QAC) will be available to assist those unable to read or understand the census form. For those with visual impairments, Language Assistance Guides will be available in large print and Braille. Deaf and hard-of-hearing persons who do not have access to Video Relay Service (VRS) can call 1-866-783-2010 via FedRelay, a free and confidential federal government communications service. In addition to these options, Language Assistance Guides also will be available in 59 languages at all QAC locations.
By law, the Census Bureau cannot share respondents’ answers with anyone, including other federal agencies and law enforcement entities. All Census Bureau employees take an oath of nondisclosure and are sworn for life to protect the confidentiality of the data. The penalty for unlawful disclosure is a fine of up to $250,000 or imprisonment of up to five years, or both.
We will continue to share information with you about upcoming census events we are hosting, as well as those in our community.
Below are key dates for the 2010 Census:
March 2010: 2010 Census forms are delivered.
April 1, 2010: Census Day – the official day of the population count. Information provided on 2010 Census forms should represent respective households as they exist on this day.
April-July 2010: Census workers visit households that did not return the forms to take a count in person.
Dec. 31, 2010: Census Bureau presents population count to the President of the United States.
Watch for additional details in the coming months, or visit 2010census.gov to learn more.