Census Bureau holds “March to Your Mailbox” to get people to fill out their forms
It’s time to “March to the Mailbox” in South Carolina.
As part of a nationwide blitz, hundreds of volunteers across the state participated Saturday in rallies, parades, block parties and entertainment events to tell people it’s not too late to mail back their 2010 Census questionnaires.
One of those events in North Charleston specifically targeted the Latino population. Diana Salazar, who works with the census bureau, is pushing for Latino residents to get their forms mailed in as soon as possible.
She said, “We’ve got 10 questions, in 10 minutes your done. It’s a form that can get sent out immediately.“
Those 10 questions decide where more than $400 billion in federal money is distributed annually through state, local and tribal governments to communities each year. Census results also are used to determine each state’s seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and to redraw state and local voting districts. That’s why North Charleston City Council member Rhonda Jerome says everyone in her community needs to make sure they don’t forget their forms.
“It’s not just a piece of mail you get to throw in the garbage. It’s a piece of mail you take time, you fill out and you mail back.“
On May 1st, census takers will begin door-to-door visits to collect information from households that did not return the form.
For help completing your census form, or to get a form in another language, call the the toll-free Telephone Questionnaire Help Line at 1-866-872-6868. Spanish speakers can call 1-866-928-2010. Questionnaire Assistance Centers (QACs) are open across the state to assist people. You can find one in your location by clicking the following link: http://2010.census.gov/2010census/take10map/bcqac-textview.php