GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — Grand Rapids, Wyoming, Kentwood, Holland among cities most at risk in Michigan of being undercounted. A Wednesday, March 11 town hall in Grand Rapids will seek to dispel myths, maximize participation.
State Sen. Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, and Grand Rapids City Commissioners Milinda Ysasi and Joe Jones have come together to host the town hall at Inner City Christian Federation. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Michigan 2020 Statewide Census Director Kerry Ebersole Singh will also be in attendance.
There will also be civic, business, advocacy and faith leaders from across Kent and Ottawa counties there who will highlight the convenience of completing the census and the important benefits it brings to local communities, according to a press release.
The Grand Rapids 2020 Census "Everyone Counts" Town Hall is from 4 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 11 at Inner City Christian Federation, located 920 Cherry St. SE, in Grand Rapids. Doors open at 3:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
The Grand Rapids event is among a statewide series of town halls featuring Michigan's top state and local leaders who are helping promote awareness of the 2020 Census, Singh said.
"The goal of the Michigan 2020 census town hall tour is to communicate why it's critical to our communities to complete the census, dispel myths and explain how filling out the census is more convenient than ever," Singh said. "The 2020 census can be completed by mail and – for the first time ever – by phone and online."
Statewide, more than 1.8 million residents are estimated at risk of not being counted in 2020, as measured by census tracts with high poverty, low access to the internet or other challenges that reduce participation in the decennial count.
Kent County ranks fourth and Ottawa County ranks ninth, respectively, among the top 10 counties in Michigan most at risk of being undercounted. Kent County has an estimated 120,262 individuals regarded as less likely to respond. Ottawa County has an estimated 45,776 people at risk of being undercounted.
In 2010, 78% of the state's population completed the census. Michigan 2020 census campaign officials want the Great Lakes State to achieve 82% participation in 2020, which would rival the nation's top performance in the 2010 census by Wisconsin.
Grand Rapids census leaders have set a higher goal: They want to reach 85% in 2020 – a 12% increase from 2010.
The census determines how $675 billion in federal dollars is distributed nationwide over each of the next 10 years through 2030.
"We can't stress this message often enough: Everyone in Grand Rapids benefits if everyone in Grand Rapids is counted," Second Ward Commissioner Ysasi said.
Under current funding figures, every person not counted puts at risk an estimated $3,000 of federal funds per person per year not coming to Grand Rapids, Wyoming, Kentwood and Holland for the next 10 years.
In 2016, according to the most recent data available, Michigan received nearly $30 billion in federal funding, including $1.1 billion for highway planning and construction, $16 billion for health programs, $5 billion for education, $2.3 billion for food assistance programs and $1.5 billion for housing assistance.
"Getting people to complete the census is one of our community's top priorities," Second Ward Commissioner Jones said. "The census numbers affect everyone – the elderly, students, infants, parents, businesses and communities. That's why we all need to do all we can to encourage everybody we know to complete the census."
The City Commission last fall established a Complete Count Committee. The group is led by Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss and includes roughly 70 community leaders who are committed to promoting a complete and accurate count of all residents living in the city and surrounding communities.
City leaders have created Grand Rapids' first Census Hub by teaming with Heart of West Michigan United Way (HWMUW) to connect with Grand Rapids residents about the census. HWMUW is leading the effort of recruiting, organizing and training local organizations – now totaling 18 – to engage with those in their respective neighborhoods about how getting counted benefits the lives of those who live in their community.
"The 2020 census is an all-hands-on-deck, pull-out-all-the-stops opportunity," Canfield said. "We urge residents to complete the census and help us achieve an 85% participation rate."
The questions are name, age, gender, ethnicity, race, number of people in the household, anyone else staying in the house on April 1, 2020, if you own or rent your home and phone number.
Learn more about the 2020 census at michigan.gov/census2020/ and census.gov. You can also visit us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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