TOMS RIVER – Mobile “On the Spot” Questionnaire Assistance Centers will be available to help make sure that all Ocean County residents are counted in the 2020 Census.
“This is it,” said Ocean County Freeholder Director Joseph H. Vicari. “There are only days left to get all of our residents counted in the 2020 Census. While we have exceeded the 2010 Census response rate, we still need to continue this current effort until the end of September.”
Vicari said, “I want to thank the members of the Complete Count Committee for their participation in doing outreach and promoting the importance of the Census. I am proud to work with each and every one of you.”
By September 30 the Census Bureau will be wrapping up operations and Vicari said, “I cannot stress enough how important it is for all of us to be a part of this secure and confidential process.”
“If you want day care for your children, well maintained infrastructures, a clean environment, good schools, senior assistance, and the list goes on, it all goes back to being counted in the Census. We don’t have a lot of time left but it’s still enough time for people to do the right thing and fill out the forms,” Vicari said.
Ocean County has been promoting Census related activities for more than a year when it first created the 2020 Complete Count Committee made up of representatives from towns, non-profits and other organizations tasked with getting the word out.
Various methods were employed to push participation even harder, such as municipal and organizational outreach, social media, websites, and public events throughout the County such as a Census Billboard truck, a Census enumeration event at the Blue Claws stadium that drew thousands of residents, and even free ice cream distribution events were held.
Census data affects the allocation of more than $45 billion, or about $5,160 per New Jersey resident, in annual federal funding. Communities receive funds for programs and services relating to health, education, housing, infrastructure and much more based on Census data.
Vicari said that everyone living in the United States has the right to be counted in the 2020 Census and the data is all strictly confidential.
“Every part of the Census, from enumeration to the Census data itself, is protected by Federal Law under Title 13. The information on the census questionnaire cannot be used for any other purpose or shared with any other institutions or agencies. If you haven’t filled out your Census yet, it’s important that you do so right now,” Vicari said.
The branches of the Ocean County Library have trained staff to assist the public with completing their 2020 Census on dedicated laptops or their paper questionnaires.
There are many Mobile Questionnaire Assistance Centers staffed by the Census scheduled around the county until September 30. The following locations will have “on the spot” Census assistance:
Sept. 22: Farmers Market, 134 Green St., Tuckerton, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sept. 23: Farmers Market, 700 Main St. (Behind New Life Church), Toms River, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sept. 24: Barnegat Farmers Market, 11 Birdsall St., 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sept. 24: Beth Medrash Govoha, 617 6th St., Lakewood, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Sept. 25: Lakewood Library, 301 Lexington Ave., 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Sept. 26: Seaside Boardwalk, 617 Boardwalk / Blaine and Boardwalk, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sept. 27: Seaside Boardwalk, 617 Boardwalk / Blaine and Boardwalk, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sept. 27: Barnegat Farmers Market, 11 Birdsall St., 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
All events scheduled to have Census staff available, as well as other information on the Census can be found on the Ocean County 2020 Census website, co.ocean.nj.us/OC/2020Census/.
Those who have not completed their Census can still self-respond by going to my2020census.gov, calling the hotline in English at 844-330-2020 or Spanish at 844-468-2020. The Census sent out a final paper questionnaire to any household that has yet to respond.
