To the Citizens of Akron: While it is difficult to believe nearly 10 years has gone by since our last U.S. Census count, it is indeed time again to focus on this decennial rite of American government.   Moreover, I write to you with the purpose of advising you of the immense importance of Census to our community. An accurate count has a significant impact on people in Akron-- it’s estimated that  every 300 people missed in the Census count leads to a $1 million loss to the people of our city over the next decade.  That is because more than $400 billion in federal funding is allocated to communities based on census data every year. Having an incomplete count means a community won’t get its fair share of that funding. That money goes to support things like school lunches, Head Start programs, home energy assistance programs, Medicaid grants to states, assistance for families in need, and job training and placement for adults, youth, and dislocated workers. In Akron, that $1 million would be enough to: Place nearly 250 people into full time employment Prevent 400 foreclosures Provide gap funding assistance for 50 rehabilitated affordable housing units Provide more than 10,000 medical or dental visits for uninsured patients at a community clinic Test more than 33,000 children for lead poisoning Help at least 25 new businesses get started by providing low interest loans, creating hundreds of new jobs Having a good count means more than just having a new population number on a sign—it has real impacts on our community. Getting a complete count means we are better able to build a city that works for everyone and takes care of those who need assistance. Please take part in the U.S. Census when a Census worker takes time to ask you for information.  Akron needs an accurate count.   Sincerely, MAYOR DONALD L. PLUSQUELLIC

LINKS: Home FAQs Akron Complete Count Committee (pdf) Be Counted Sites (pdf) Questionnaire Assistance Centers (pdf) BBB Census Message Meetings & Activities See Current Akron (2010) Census Participation Rates Flyers and Posters LINKS to 2010.census.gov FAQs Census Help Sites Employment Sample Census Form Census in Schools What a Census Taker Looks Like Posters and Flyers

The Census: A Snapshot

• The U.S. Constitution requires a national census once every 10 years.
• The census is a count of everyone residing in the United States: in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. This includes people of all ages, races, ethnic groups, both citizens and non-citizens.
• The 2010 Census will create hundreds of thousands of temporary jobs across the nation.

It's in Our Hands: Your Participation in the 2010 Census Matters

• Every year, more than $400 billion in federal funds is awarded to states and communities like Akron based on census data. That's more than $3 trillion over a 10-year period.
• Census data guide local decision-makers in important community planning efforts, including where to build new roads, hospitals and schools.
• Census data affect your voice in Congress by determining how many seats each state like Ohio will have in the US House of Representatives.

Completing the 2010 Census Questionnaire: Simple and Safe

• The 2010 Census questionnaire asks only a few simple questions of each person-name, relationship, gender, age and date of birth, race, and whether the respondent owns or rents his or her home. This simple, short questionnaire takes just a few minutes to complete and return by mail.
• The Census Bureau does not release or share information that identifies individual respondents or their household for 72 years.

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