by Robin Kemp

Georgia State Rep. Kim Schofield (D-60) is calling on every household in her district, which includes parts of both Clayton and Fulton Counties, to take five minutes and fill out the 2020 Census before the Sept. 30 deadline.

Government officials rely on the U.S. Census when they plan how to spend your tax dollars in your neighborhood–important things like MARTA service, healthcare, housing assistance, and disaster response.

““Completing the 2020 U.S. Census is vital to our community to help fund Head Start programs, PELL Grants, school lunches, Medicare and Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), health clinics, Section 8 housing, public transit (buses/rail), grants and other community development needs for the next 10 years,” said Rep. Schofield. “Families in Southeast Atlanta, Forest Park, College Park and East Point cannot afford to leave any money or resources on the table. Our community needs your help.”

Census results also are used to decide where to draw both state and federal districts. Areas where fewer people take part in the Census could see their districts redrawn unfavorably–for example, adding a neighborhood to another senator or representative who may not represent what that neighborhood wants.

Companies looking to do business in Clayton County and the Southside often consider Census data when deciding where to locate a factory or warehouse or when choosing an audience or market. If fewer people fill out the Census, an area may appear less affluent than it actually is, or the area may seem to have fewer people looking for different kinds of jobs.

As of Monday, Sept. 21, only 59.8 percent of Clayton County households have filled out the 2020 Census on average. By comparison, 61.5 percent of Georgia households and 66 percent of U.S households (on average) have gotten their Census in.

You can fill out the Census online right now at my2020census.gov.

If you prefer, you can call call (844) 330-2020.

If you got an official U.S. Census Bureau form in the mail, you can fill that out and mail it back no later than Sept. 30.

Learn more about how the 2020 Census impacts Clayton County from county spokesperson Valerie Fuller: