Pinellas Census Committee Launches Outreach Campaign Jan. 29

CLEARWATER, FL — With billions of dollars in federal funding statewide and political representation tied to the upcoming 2020 U.S. Census count, a coalition of local partners is launching a campaign to ensure every person in Pinellas County is counted this spring.

The Pinellas Complete Count Committee will hold a kick-off meeting for the #MakePinellasCount campaign at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 29, at the St. Petersburg College EpiCenter, 13805 58th St. N., Clearwater.

Pinellas County Commissioner Kenneth T. Welch, who chairs the countywide committee, will lead the meeting, which will include leaders from local government, nonprofit agencies, business, faith communities and other civic organizations.

“As our nation prepares for the first census that can be taken online, we want to make sure that every person in Pinellas County is counted,” Welch said. “We’ve formed a diverse team of community leaders to reach everyone in our community. We want everyone to know that the census is safe, easy and critically important to our county’s future.”

The county census committee started in late 2018, building a wide network of more than 150 partners to serve as trusted voices in the community to explain the importance of the 2020 Census.

Over the next few months, the committee plans to post videos, advertise on bus routes, attend events and share census information in every corner of the community, including a #MakePinellasCount social media campaign.

Outreach will focus on specific under counted communities that were not fully represented in the previous census as identified by the U.S. Census Bureau’s Online Mapping Tool, with materials in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.

“It’s about building trust among residents who have historically been underrepresented. We want people to know that their census information is safe and that participating means their community will get its fair share,” said Jaclyn Boland, CEO of the Hispanic Outreach Center.

The Pinellas Complete Count Committee will remind residents to consider the following when they receive their invitation to complete the census:

• Census responses are secure, confidential and protected by law – all data is used solely for statistical purposes and, by law, no personal information can be shared with anyone, including other government agencies. For more information on how the Census Bureau protects personal information, visit this FAQ website.
• The census survey collects basic statistical information for households, such as age, sex and race/ethnicity; the census does not ask for a Social Security number, citizenship status or other sensitive personal information.
• Most households will receive an invitation by mail in March to take the census online; those who don’t respond to the initial invitation may get an in-person visit by a Census Bureau worker.
• $44 billion in federal funding for programs across Florida in 2016 was guided by census data, according to a study by George Washington University.
• Residents can learn more about what to expect by visiting the Pinellas County Census website. Information is also available in Spanish.

Key partners in the #MakePinellasCount campaign include: local city mayors and other elected officials, Pinellas County Schools, the Tampa Bay Rays, local chambers of commerce, businesses, faith leaders, local and national nonprofits and grassroots community activists.