CENSUS VISIBILITY DAY OF ACTION ON AUGUST 1ST: Without a complete count, New York will lose billions for schools, hospitals, and transit, as well as two congressional seats amidst the worst economic crisis in a century

USANEWSONLINE.COM DESK, NEW YORK, NY – In order to stave off the potential loss of billions in federal aid for critical programs as well as the loss of up to two congressional seats in the midst of the worst economic crisis in a century, New York City is launching the #GetCountedNYC Census Week of Action to mobilize all households to respond to the census in New York City, which has just a 54% self-response rate as of July 27. From July 27 – August 2, NYC Census 2020, elected officials, and our partners are planning a week of activities citywide to mobilize New Yorkers to self-respond to the 2020 Census. 500 New Yorkers have already signed up to volunteer.

On Saturday, August 1, NYC Census 2020, its partners, elected officials, and volunteers will hold in-person census outreach events across the five boroughs in transit hubs, parks, playgrounds, small business corridors, and other key public areas in areas with historically low self-response rates. Teams will be equipped with PPE. This is the second visibility day of action held during the Census Week of Action.

The Census Week of Action is timed to significantly increase New York City’s self-response rate immediately prior to the launch of the U.S. Census Bureau’s door-to-door enumeration. Its importance is now heightened given recent news that the U.S. Census Bureau will now halt door-to-door enumeration a month earlier than announced. This means door knocking by census takers would end on September 30, not October 31, despite the Census Bureau’s earlier commitment to continue door knocking through October 31, which was set in response to COVID-19. The census determines the equitable distribution of $1.5 trillion in federal funds annually for education, healthcare, housing, transportation, infrastructure, and more, in addition to determining the number of seats each state is allotted in the House of Representatives, as well as the shape and size of local and state legislative districts.

#GetCounted Census Week of Action Public Events for Saturday, August 1:

9:00 AM: Corona/ State Senator Jessica Ramos’s Fresh Food Saturdays at NY Hall of Science featuring food and PPE distribution and free COVID-19 testing stations 

●       What: A fresh food bank and PPE distribution alongside free COVID-19 testing stations and census form assistance

●       Who:

○       State Senator Jessica Ramos

○       Amit Bagga, Deputy Director, NYC Census 2020

○       Make the Road New York

●       Location: State Senator Jessica Ramos Food Bank, Hall of Science Parking Lot, 47-01 111th Street, Queens

●       Contact: Amit S. Bagga, [email protected], (347) 601-7945

11:00 AM: Far Rockaway/ Canvassing and census form assistance at Riis Beach

●       What: Canvassing and census form assistance

●       Who:

○       Alyson Tarek, NYC Census 2020

●       Location: Riis Beach, 157 Rockaway Beach Blvd, Queens

●       Contact: Alyson Tarek, [email protected],

12:30 PM: East Flatbush/ Nostrand Ave Playground: PPE Distribution and Census visibility

●       What: PPE distribution and census form assistance

●       Who:

○       Kathleen Daniel, Field Director, NYC Census 2020

○       State Senator Kevin Parker (D-21)

○       Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte (D-42)

○       Council Member Farah Louis (D-45)

○       District Leader Josue Pierre (42-AD)

○       District Leader Edu Hermelyn (43-AD)

●       Location: Nostrand Ave Playground, 3002 Foster Ave (corner of Nostrand and Foster Avenues), Brooklyn

●       Contact: Sona Rai, [email protected], (585) 530 – 7484

12:00 PM: Pelham Bay Park/ Orchard Beach: Canvassing and census form assistance

●       What: PPE distribution and census form assistance

●       Who:

○       NYC Census 2020

●       Location: Orchard Beach, Park Drive, Parking Lot Entrance, The Bronx

●       Contact: Aaron Ghitelman, [email protected], (718) 938 – 5325

2:30 PM: Williamsburg/ Domino Park: Canvassing and census form assistance

●       What: Street canvassing and census form assistance

●       Who:

○       NYC Census 2020

●       Location: Domino Park, River Street and South 2nd Street, Brooklyn

●       Contact: Sona Rai, [email protected], (585) 530 – 7484

Additional events will be advised for August 2nd in the near future.

About NYC Census 2020

NYC Census 2020 is a first-of-its-kind organizing initiative established by Mayor de Blasio in January 2019 to ensure a complete and accurate count of all New Yorkers in the 2020 Census. The $40 million program is built on four pillars: (1) a $19 million community-based awards program, The New York City Complete Count Fund, empowering 157 community-based organizations to engage historically undercounted communities around the 2020 Census; (2) an in-house “Get Out the Count” field campaign supported by the smart use of cutting-edge data and organizing technology, and a volunteer organizing program to promote a complete count in each of the city’s 245 neighborhoods; (3) an innovative, multilingual, tailored messaging and marketing campaign, including a $3 million commitment to investing in community and ethnic media to reach every New York City community; as well as (4) an in-depth Agency and Partnerships engagement plan that seeks to leverage the power of the City’s 350,000-strong workforce and the city’s major institutions, including libraries, hospitals, faith-based communities, cultural institutions, higher educational institutions, and more, to communicate with New Yorkers about the critical importance of census participation. Through close partnerships with trusted leaders and organizations across the five boroughs, this unprecedented campaign represents the largest municipal investment in census organizing nationwide and will build an enduring structure that empowers New Yorkers to remain civically engaged. Press Release.