"...An accurate count of the U.S. population forms the basis for many important but often overlooked political, economic, and social decisions that are made that end up affecting our daily lives."
C.N. Le, Professor at University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Census forms will be delivered or mailed to households this month; households should complete and mail back their forms upon receipt. Census workers will visit households that do not return forms to take a count in person.

To help raise awareness of the 2010 Census and to increase participation we can:

• Leverage our role as a visible pillar within the state to ensure everyone understands that participation in the 2010 Census is easy, important and safe. 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.
• Reinforce that every person in the United States must be counted – both citizens and noncitizens.
• Include 2010 Census information in internal communications, such as newsletters, bulletins, announcements and on your Web site.
• Discuss the importance of participating in the 2010 Census with other employees, customers, business associates and others from the surrounding community.

When you do the math, it's easy to see what an accurate count of residents can do for your community. Better infrastructure. More services. A brighter tomorrow for everyone. In fact, the information the census collects helps to determine how more than $400 billion dollars of federal funding each year is spent on infrastructure and services like:

• Hospitals
• Job training centers
• Schools

Do your part and pass the word to complete the Census Form when it arrives this week. Click here for additional resources on spreading the word about the 2010 Census.