Count the Region Initiative Launched to Get Out the Count
Today, April 1, 2019, marks one year out from Census Day 2020, and the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia is launching its’ Count the Region Initiative to help ensure a complete and fair 2020 census count in the Northern Virginia region. The Community Foundation has invited key civic, government, social and private sector leaders across the region to join the Northern Virginia Complete Count Committee, chaired by Bernard Mustafa of PVBS and Richard Pineda of CALIBRE. Its members will help develop an action plan for community engagement in the 2020 Census. Members are listed below.
The Community Foundation is also supporting the local complete count committees in Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William Counties to help coordinate efforts and share messaging.
“The importance of the 2020 Census cannot be overstated. For every Virginian who is not counted, the state/region loses $2,000 per year for 10 years, or $20,000 total, in federal assistance program allocations. The sheer scope of the potential loss in federal financial support is stunning and imposes an urgency upon these efforts,” said Community Foundation President and CEO Eileen Ellsworth.
Mandated by the U.S. Constitution, the decennial census count takes place every 10 years for the purposes of reapportioning seats in Congress. The Census data will also be used to determine how more than $880 billion in federal funds are distributed back to states and local communities every year for spending on items like Medicare, schools, infrastructure, and other public services through 2030.
Historically, the Census has missed disproportionate numbers of racial minorities, immigrants, young children and those living in poverty (hard-to-count populations) leading to inequality in political power and government funding.
“We’re encouraging members of traditionally hard-to-count populations to participate in the upcoming 2020 Census count,” said Ellsworth.” We are keenly aware of the negative impact an undercount for the 2020 Census will have on communities in Northern Virginia.”
If you’re interested in partnering in this effort or joining the Northern Virginia Complete Count Committee we have developed a portal on the Community Foundation's Web site that will serve as a hub of information and resources to support all Census efforts in our region: www.cfnova.org/count-the-region.
Northern Virginia Complete Count Committee Members
- Nicole Acosta, Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties
- Cozy Bailey, Sr., Prince William County Branch, NAACP
- Lucy Beadnell, The Arc of Northern Virginia
- Ronald Brown, US Census Bureau
- Victoria Clark, Northern Virginia Urban League Young Professionals Network
- Kevin DeSanto, KippsDeSanto & Co.
- Ellen Dyke, NOVA Educational Foundation
- Eileen Ellsworth, Community Foundation for Northern Virginia
- Jorge Figueredo, Edu-Futuro
- Elizabeth Guzman, Virginia House of Delegates
- Mark Ingrao, Greater Reston Chamber of Commerce
- Cheryl Janey, Morewood Partners
- Joan Kasprowicz, Interested Citizen
- Diana Katz, Second Wave Learning
- Mark Keam, Virginia House of Delegates
- Stanley Koussis, Mount Vernon-Lee Chamber of Commerce/Andrews Federal Credit Union
- Alvenia McQueen, US Census Bureau
- Sookyung Oh, NAKASEC
- Linda Patterson, Lorton Community Action Center
- Ken Plum, Virginia House of Delegates
- David Reid, Virginia House of Delegates
- Catherine F. Schott Murray, Odin, Feldman & Pittleman, P.C.
- Cindy Shao, Asian American Chamber of Commerce, Inc
- Don Strehle, Sterling Capital
- Lisa Whetzel, Britepaths
- Kerrie Wilson, Cornerstones
Questions?
