Letter to the Editor: Replying to the census is critically important

We have been hearing about the census now for months. Although we cannot get the federal funding we deserve without it; as of July, only 58.2 percent of Dorchester County residents had responded to the census.

That means we are giving up millions of dollars for schools, hospitals, emergency responders, and more. School lunches are provided to children who need them based on census information.
In addition, the amount of money we receive for road maintenance and construction is based on the census. There are countless ways that we could use the millions of dollars that Dorchester County would be eligible for, but the government must have an accurate count of how many of us live here so they can allocate the correct amounts.

We received the census form in the mail before April, and those who have not completed it yet may have misplaced it. That is okay! They can still participate.
Even those who did not receive an invitation to respond from the Census Bureau may still respond. There are three ways to respond to the census: online, by phone, and by mail.

Go to my2020census.gov to find all the census information needed. Those who are responding online must complete the census in one sitting because it is not possible to save the partially filled out form. It only takes five to ten minutes to complete the census.
Those who would like to respond by telephone can call 844-330-2020. Spanish speakers can call 844-468-2020. Speakers of other languages can find the numbers to call at the above website. Also, consider calling a friend and asking them to help you complete the form.

Remember, the census is anonymous. No one is required to give their name, social security number, or bank account number. The information you provide is held in strict confidence by law. There is no citizenship question on the census.
Data collected on the census is used to distribute billions of dollars in federal funds to communities like ours. Let’s take advantage of it!

Susan Olsen
Cambridge