Summer 2009 Edition - City of Gaithersburg

Summer 2009
It’s Coming: the 2010 Census
Counting Everyone Once — and Only Once — In the Right Place
American democracy depends on fair
and equitable representation in Congress.
In order to achieve an accurate assessment
of the number and location of the people
living within our borders, the U.S. Constitution
mandates a census of the population
every 10 years.
Census population totals determine the
number of representatives each state has
in Congress. It also determines the amount
of state and federal funding communities
receive over the course of the decade.
2010 Census data will directly affect how
more than $3 trillion is allocated to local,
state and tribal governments over the next
10 years. In order for the allocation to be
done fairly and accurately, it is important
to count everybody, count them only once,
and count them in the right place. The facts
gathered in the census also help shape decisions
for the rest of the decade about public
health, neighborhood improvements,
transportation, education, senior services,
and much more.
Ways you Can help your City
by Maureen Herndon/Jeanne North
To learn more explore the City of Gaithersburg
online at www.gaithersburgmd.
gov/volunteer
• Join a Board or City Committee
• Volunteer with one of the City
programs
• Offer City youth a summer job
• Support a City business
• Shop Gaithersburg
• Be green at work and home
• Follow the six pillars of CHARAC-
TER COUNTS! in all you do
• Donate to the Edward Bohrer, Jr.
Memorial CHARACTER COUNTS!
Scholarship Fund or support National
CHARACTER COUNTS! Week
• Hold a food or clothing drive for
residents in need
• Volunteer and support the City’s
cultural celebrations, the annual
Montgomery County Housing Fair,
City parades and festivals
Early Efforts are Underway
The countdown to Census Day is underway.
Offices are already open in Frederick,
Largo, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.
This fall more offices will be opening in
Montgomery, Charles, Baltimore, and
Talbot Counties.
Right now, locally-hired census employees
are walking every street in America
verifying 145 million addresses and updating
the 2010 Census address list. This will
ensure that the Census Bureau has an accurate
list to mail or hand-deliver the census
questionnaires in the spring of 2010.
Counting Everyone
The goal of the 2010 Census is to count
all residents living in the United States
on April 1, 2010. No questions about the
legal status of respondents are asked in any
surveys or census programs. To help ensure
that our increasingly diverse population can
answer the questionnaire accurately and
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Donate school supplies or books for
summer reading
Sponsor a clean-up day in your
neighborhood
Donate money, time or talent to a nonprofit
agency member of the Gaithersburg
Coalition of Providers AND the
City’s Wells Robertson House for the
Homeless
Sponsor a Fannie Mae “Help the
Homeless” Walk in your community
Offer a volunteer opportunity at your
school or nonprofit for a Montgomery
College student
Help at your neighborhood school
Hire a Liberty’s Promise high school
intern
Contribute to the City’s Department
of Parks, Recreation and Culture
Summer Camp Scholarship Fund
Attend local nonprofit fundraisers
sponsored in part by local businesses
completely, about 13 million bilingual
Spanish/English forms will be mailed
to housing units in neighborhoods
identified as requiring high levels of
Spanish assistance. Additionally, questionnaires
in Spanish, Chinese (simplified),
Korean, Vietnamese and Russian,
as well as guides in 59 languages, will
be available upon request.
Make sure you’re counted! To learn
more, visit www.census.gov.
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Report incidents of child abuse and
neglect and domestic violence
Enjoy the Bohrer Park Activity
Center water park, skate park and
mini-golf course this summer!!
Collect books for summer reading
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