Census 2020 is almost here and our young children, Spanish-speaking, and low-income populations are especially vulnerable to undercounting, which reduces local funding for many critical safety-net programs like Medi-Cal, CalFresh, Section 8, WIC, and Head Start. Accurate counting also ensures that our county is fully represented in the state and federal government and makes sure that our most vulnerable populations are visible and counted. Experts estimate that at least 5% of children under age five were not counted in the last census, with higher rates of undercount in California.

Each of you are a vital link to encourage families to participate in the census. It's important to get the word out about how to participate in the census (especially for families who are sharing housing) and to let immigrant families know that there is no citizenship question. The count will start in mid-March online and by phone. Since we know people need to hear or see information several times before they act on it, we need to start early with outreach and information.