City of Columbia is working to ensure a complete and accurate count of all its residents in the 2020 U.S. Census

The City of Columbia is working to ensure a complete and accurate count of all its residents in the 2020 U.S. Census by appointing a team of community members, known as a Complete Count Committee (CCC) to help guide the effort.  Operating under the leadership of Chynna Phillips, Research & Policy Manager for the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina, and co-chair Kayla Mallett, SC Citizens Review Panel Coordinator for the Children’s Law Center UofSC School of Law, the committee is made up of key stakeholders representing a diverse range of organizations and interests. Members include:

• John Andoh, Executive Director/CEO Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority (The COMET)
• Richard Barr, Vice President of Strategic and Organizational Development Center for Fathers and Families
• Sue Berkowitz, Director SC Appleseed Legal Justice Center
• Celeste Cannon, Digital Producer WACH FOX 57
• Alejandro Florez, Real Estate Agent & Realtor Century 21 Vanguard
• Dominique Francis, Workforce Development Manager S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control
• Margaret Gibson, Director of Community Services Wateree Community Actions, Inc.
• Santanna Hayes, Creative Marketing and Quality Director Midlands Fatherhood Coalition
• Sharita Moultrie, Community Health Specialist Richland Library
• Kim Janha, Legislative Coordinator Richland County Government
• Berry Kelly, Director, Bureau of Community Nutrition Services S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control
• Shigehuru Kobayashi, Entrepreneur Camon Sushi
• Kayla Mallett, SC Citizens Review Panel Coordinator Children’s Law Center School of Law
• Bre Maxwell, Executive Assistant/District Scheduler Office of the Majority Whip James E. Clyburn
• Karen Oliver, Senior Director, Community Resources United Way of the Midlands
• Chynna Phillips, Research and Policy Manager Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina
• Debbie Robertson, Chief Partnership Officer South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness
• Larry Salley, Executive Director Benedict College
• Aditi Srivastav, Research and Community Impact Manager Children’s Trust of South Carolina
• Tammaka Staley, Poet and Teaching Artist Poet
• Shannon Stephens, Vice President TD Bank
• Dalton Tresvant, Deputy District Director Office of the Majority Whip James E. Clyburn
• Lauren Wilkie, Vice President of Programs Transitions Homeless Center
• Mike Young, Director of Capacity Building PASOs Programs

Complete Count Committees are volunteer organizations established to increase awareness of and motivate residents to respond to the 2020 Census. Among other activities, CCC’s are charged with creating strategies to conduct outreach in geographic areas of low response as well as among populations with low response rates.  Success of the census depends on community involvement at every level.

Participation in the 2020 Census is vitally important.  As mandated by the U.S. Constitution, our nation gets just one chance each decade to count its population. The U.S. census counts every resident in the United States. It is mandated by Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution and takes place every 10 years. The census can shape many different aspects of your community. The data collected by the census determine the number of seats each state has in the U.S. House of Representatives (a process called apportionment) and is also used to distribute billions in federal funds to local communities. Every year, more than $675 billion goes toward hospitals, fire departments, schools, roads, and more.

“As the U.S. Census is conducted next year, ensuring our city, this region and our state have complete counts is critically important,” said Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin. “We look forward to Columbia’s Complete Count Committee encouraging all of our residents to participate in what will be a truly influential endeavor.”

For more information on the 2020 Census, please visit https://2020census.gov