Senior Resources prepares for 2020 Census
January 3, 2020
Senior Resources announces a formal partnership with the City of Columbia’s Complete Count Committee to encourage the accurate count of all local senior citizens in the 2020 Census. The partnership will expand awareness and education about the census to seniors leading up to Census Day on April 1, 2020.
“Full and accurate participation in the 2020 Census is critical to providing quality services for older adults in our community,” says Andrew Boozer, Executive Director. “An accurate count in 2020 means that Columbia and Richland County seniors will have the services they need to remain healthy and independent for the next decade.”
Many of Senior Resources programs, including its three Meals on Wheels distribution sites, four senior wellness centers, as well as transportation and in-home services, receive federal funding dependent on census data. Accurate counts of those age 55 and older provide a view of who needs services now and also who will need services over the next ten years.
As part of the Complete Count Committee, Senior Resources will represent older adults in the planning, education, and execution of the 2020 Census in the local community. Census information will be distributed to the more than 1,000 seniors served each week by Senior Resources programs and provided to the community at large to raise public awareness.
The census is constitutionally mandated every 10 years and affects representation in government, determines community funding, and provides data to help plan for the future. According to the United States Census Bureau, $675 billion in federal funding flows back to states and local communities each year based on census data.
About Senior Resources
Senior Resources is a non-profit organization that coordinates services, provides resources and encourages the personal choices that allow Columbia’s senior citizens to remain independent. All activities, services and programs of the agency are geared toward promoting independent living, with the goal of helping seniors remain in their homes as long as possible through the support of staff and volunteers, and delaying or preventing institutionalization. Learn more at www.seniorresourcesinc.org
For more information about the Columbia Counts Committee visit sccountmein.censuscloud.com
For More information about the 2020 Census visit www.2020census.gov.
