With just 20 days remaining to complete the 2020 Census, the city of Flint is coordinating a major push to encourage residents to BE COUNTED.
A full count of Flint residents equates to approximately $3 billion in funding for Flint-area programs and services. That’s $300 million each of the next 10 years to fund roads, health care, senior services and much more.
“This is a 10-minute investment that impacts us for the next 10 years,” Flint Mayor Sheldon Neeley said.
“This is about making sure our community has the funding to provide services our residents need and deserve,” he added.
Neeley noted that the $3 billion in jeopardy goes directly to serve residents of Flint, often through programs administered by the state and federal governments such as Head Start, WIC, Section 8 Housing, shelters for women and homeless, disabled veterans services, USDA school lunches, Medicare and public schools.
The number of residents counted now determines how much funding is allocated to the local area for those important services for the next 10 years.
The deadline to respond to the census is Sept. 30, 2020.
Residents can respond online at www.my2020census.gov, by phone toll free at 1-844-330-2020 or by attending any one of more than 30 events planned over the next 20 days to help Flint residents BE COUNTED. See the list below.
Anthony Turner, 2020 Census coordinator for the city of Flint, said more than 1 in 5 Flint residents still have not completed their census. Turner said estimates released Sept. 10 indicate that 78% of Flint residents have been counted (about 50% through self-response and the other 28% by census enumerators).
Flint’s response is a full 11% behind the state of Michigan overall. That means other communities are doing better at completing their census and stand to get more funding because of their higher response rates.
“The census will shape our future as a community,” Turner said. “We really cannot overstate its importance,”
Events have been ongoing since March, and Turner said he and other complete count committee volunteers are trying to make it as easy as possible for residents to BE COUNTED in these final days before the Sept. 30 deadline.
Residents can get help completing their census at more than 30 events between now and Sept. 30. The events also feature a variety of other offerings, including food giveaways, free ice cream and/or COVID-19 testing depending on the location:
● 10 a.m.-noon Sept. 12 at IINN, 4800 S. Saginaw St. American Muslim Community Services. Food giveaway and gift cards.
● 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 12 at Riverpark Apartments, 7002 Pemberton. Food giveaway.
● Noon-4 p.m. Sept. 12 at Hasselbring Senior Center, 1002 Home Ave. Back to School giveaway.
● 4 p.m.-7 p.m. Sept. 12 at Riverpark Apartments, 7002 Pemberton. Total Life Prosperity. Food truck and ice cream giveaway.
● 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 14 at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, 5443 N. Saginaw St. COVID-19 testing.
● 3 p.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 15 at Community Enrichment Center, 322 E. Hamilton Ave. Free tacos.
● 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Sept. 15 at Riverside Tabernacle, 429 Nb Chavez Dr. Food giveaway.
● 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 15 Bethel United Methodist Church, 1309 N. Ballenger Highway. COVID-19 testing.
● 2 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Sept. 15 at Berston Field House, 3300 N. Saginaw St. Berston. Back to School giveaway.
● 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 16 Bethel United Methodist Church, 1309 N. Ballenger Highway. COVID-19 testing.
● 4 p.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 16 at Flint Development Center, 4121 MLK Ave. Ice cream giveaway
● 8 a.m.-noon Sept 17 at Holy Temple COGIC, 6702 N. Dort Highway. Food and water giveaway.
● 1 p.m.-7 p.m. Sept. 17 Bethel United Methodist Church, 1309 N. Ballenger Highway. COVID-19 testing.
● 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 18 at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, 5443 N. Saginaw St. COVID-19 testing.
● 3 p.m.-6 p.m. Sept. 18 at Genesee Health Plan, 2171 S. Linden Road. Ice cream giveaway.
● 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Sept. 18 at The Loft, 515 Buckham Alley, Lofting the Census with Twisted Burger Food Truck and ice cream giveaway.
● 10 a.m.-noon Sept. 19 at Sylvester Broome Empowerment Village, 4119 N. Saginaw St. American Muslim Community Services. Food giveaway and gift cards.
● 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sept. 19 at Kennedy Center, 1678 W. Pierson Road. Faith Foundation and Flint Fire Department. Ice cream giveaway.
● 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 21 at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, 5443 N. Saginaw St. COVID-19 testing.
● 3 p.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 21 at Ridgecrest Apartments, 1069 Ridgecrest Dr. Ice cream giveaway
● 9:30 a.m.-noon, Sept. 22 at Riverside Tabernacle, 429 Nb Chavez Dr. Food giveaway.
● 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 22 Bethel United Methodist Church, 1309 N. Ballenger Highway. COVID-19 testing.
● 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 22 at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, 2120 N. Saginaw St. Food giveaway.
● 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Sept. 22 at Flint Housing Commission, 3820 Richfield Road.
● 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 23 Bethel United Methodist Church, 1309 N. Ballenger Highway. COVID-19 testing.
● 4 p.m.-9 p.m. Sept. 23 at Flint Development Center, 4121 MLK Ave. Food truck and ice cream giveaway.
● 8 a.m.-noon Sept. 24 at Holy Temple COGIC, 6702 N. Dort Highway. Food and water giveaway.
● 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sept. 24 Bethel United Methodist Church, 1309 N. Ballenger Highway. COVID-19 testing.
● 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 25 at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, 5443 N. Saginaw St. COVID-19 testing.
● Noon-4 p.m. Sept. 26 at Hasselbring Senior Center, 1002 Home Ave. “PHamily Day” with free food, music and prizes hosted by the Prince Hall family.
● 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sept. 28 at Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, 5443 N. Saginaw St. COVID-19 testing.
● 9:30 a.m.-noon Sept. 29 at Riverside Tabernacle, 429 Nb Chavez Dr. Food giveaway.
● 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 29 Bethel United Methodist Church, 1309 N. Ballenger Highway. COVID-19 testing.
● 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sept. 30 Bethel United Methodist Church, 1309 N. Ballenger Highway. COVID-19 testing.
Also check online at the city of Flint’s website: CityofFlint.com/2020 census under the tab “Where can I get help?” Additional events still are being added.
If you have an upcoming event that can also help residents complete their census, please contact Anthony Turner at (810) 309-4446 or email census@CityofFlint.com.
