YOU WILL NOT BE ASKED
1. About citizenship
2. For your Social Security number
3. For your bank account or credit card numbers
WHO SHOULD FILL OUT THE CENSUS?
1. The Homeowner,
2. The Person Who Pays Rent, or
3. Any Other Adult Who Thinks Their Family Should Be Counted
YOUR INFORMATION IS SAFE!
By law, your census responses CANNOT be used against you
by any government agency, including (but not limited to);
-
- Federal Bureau Of Investigation (FBI)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
- Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
- U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)
If any individual violates these laws, they are subject
to large financial penalties and imprisonment.
In 1982, the U.S. Supreme Court confirmed that even addresses are confidential and cannot be disclosed through:
-
- Legal Discovery
- Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
- Patriot Act
- Court Subpoenas
HOW CAN I FILL OUT THE CENSUS?
ONLINE
Most areas of the country are likely to respond online, so most households will receive a letter asking you to go online to complete the census questionnaire.
BY MAIL
Areas that are less likely to respond online will receive a paper questionnaire along with their invitation.
BY PHONE
You can call the Census Bureau at:
1-800-923-8282
A customer service team will be able to help you fill out the questionnaire over the phone.
WHEN CAN I FILL OUT THE CENSUS? IMPORTANT DATES
BEGINNING MARCH 12
An invitation to respond online to the 2020 Census (some households will also receive paper questionnaires.)
Reminder letters and postcards will also be sent if you haven’t responded.
APRIL 1
Census Day is observed nationwide. By this date, every home will receive an invitation to participate in the 2020 Census. Once the invitation arrives, you should respond for your home in one of three ways: online, by phone, or by mail. When you respond to the census, you’ll tell the Census Bureau where you live as of April 1, 2020.
MAY-JULY
Census takers will begin visiting homes that haven’t responded to the 2020 Census to help make sure everyone is counted.
DECEMBER
The Census Bureau will deliver counts to the United States government as required by law.
WHY SHOULD I FILL OUT THE CENSUS? IT HELPS FUND CICERO
$19.7 BILLION
Amount in federal funds, grants and support distributed among Illinois, Cook County and the Town Of Cicero, based on 2010 Census data.
$11.7 BILLION
Toward health and human services, including Medicaid, Medicare Part B, child health insurance, foster care, low-income households, and child care
$4 BILLION
Helped feed families including women and infants, along with children in schools
$1.5 BILLION
Toward highways and roads
$1.4 BILLION
Toward housing and urban development (Section 8)
$1.1 BILLION
Toward education grants (Title 1) and special education services (IDEA)
$38.7 MILLION PER YEAR
Amount not paid to the Town Of Cicero due to the number of people who did not respond to the 2010 Census.
You can see how the Cicero community responded based on the school that you live closest too.
Lincoln Community: 76.0%
Columbus East, Columbus West, EC Center Community: 71.6%
Goodwin Community: 72.5%
Drexel Community: 69.8%
Warren Park Community: 70.4%
Wilson Community: 69.6%
Burnham/McKinley Community: 69.5%
Sherlock Community: 68.4%
Woodbine Community: 67.8%
Unity Community: 67.3%
Liberty/Roosevelt Community: 66.4%
Cicero East/Cicero West Community: 66.2%
Census Facts (Q&A Document for Professionals & What Will Come in the Mail)
Q&A Document for Professionals
The following is a running list of frequently asked questions and where to find the answer. Please email Jason.Echols@ageoptions.org if something on this list is not correct. This is for internal use only; please Do Not Distribute.
- Census Q&A Document (Google Doc)
- If you have a question (or answer) that you would like added to this Q&A document, please fill out this form: Submit a question for the Q&A document(Google Form)
Mail You Will Receive
There are 3 ways to complete the 2020 Census: Online, Phone, or Mail. Beginning in mid-March, the Census Bureau will mail a letter inviting households to complete the 2020 Census online (preview of online portal). That letter also includes a phone number people can call to complete the Census over the phone. If people want to complete the Census via the mail, they must wait for the paper questionnaire to arrive in the mail – it will be mailed by early April. See this handout for more explanation about the schedule for mailings.
- Initial Invitation Letter (PDF, Census Bureau)
- Preview of Online Census (Webpage with Video, Census Bureau)
- Paper Questionnaire (PDF, Census Bureau) – Spanish/English version
FYI: The above description is the best way to simply introduce the 3 choices people have in responding to the Census. See the Q&A document for more information about Census tracts and who gets Spanish mailings, etc.
WHAT QUESTIONS WILL YOU BE ASKED?
Here, you’ll count everyone living and sleeping in your home most of the time, including young children, roommates, and friends and family members who are living with you (even temporarily).
Why you are being asked this question? This helps count the entire U.S. population and ensures people are counted where they live most of the time as of April 1 2020.
Why you are being asked this question? The goal is to count everyone just once and in the right place. We want to ensure that everyone in your home who should be counted is counted, including newborns, roommates and those who may be staying with you temporarily.
Why you are being asked this question? This helps produce statistics about homeownership and renting. The rates of homeownership serve as one indicator of the nation’s economy. They also help with administering housing programs, planning, and decision-making.
Why you are being asked this question? In case there are any questions about your census form. You will only be contacted for official census business, if needed.
Why you are being asked this question? A series of questions are asked for each person that lives at every house, apartment or mobile home. Person No. 1 is usually the owner or the person who pays the rent. If this person does not live in the house, apartment or mobile home, then any adult living in the house, apartment or mobile home becomes Person No. 1.
Why you are being asked this question? To create statistics about males and females, which can be used in planning and funding government programs. This data can also be used to enforce laws, regulations, and policies against discrimination.
Why you are being asked this question? To create statistics to better understand the size and characteristics of different age groups. Agencies use this data to plan and fund government programs that support specific age groups, including children and older adults.
Why you are being asked this question? To create statistics about this ethnic group. This helps federal agencies monitor compliance with anti-discrimination provisions, such as those in the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act.
EVEN IF YOU MARKED ‘YES’ IN QUESTION 8, YOU STILL MUST ANSWER QUESTION 9
Why you are being asked this question? To create statistics about race and to analyze other statistics within racial groups. This data helps federal agencies monitor compliance with anti-discrimination provisions, such as those in the Voting Rights Act and the Civil Rights Act.
DON’T FORGET TO WRITE DOWN THE ORIGIN THE DESCRIBES YOU THE BEST IN THE WHITE BOX UNDER EACH RACE.
NOW IT’S TIME TO COUNT THE OTHER PEOPLE WHO STAY WITH YOU
You will be asked the same questions above about every person that lives with you. However, there will be two new questions you will have to answer about these individuals.
Why you are being asked this question? To ensure that everyone is counted once, only once, and in the right place.
Why you are being asked this question? To develop data about families, households, and other groups. Relationship data is used in planning and funding government programs that support families, including people raising children alone.