Print

City Mobilizes Thousands to Respond to 2020 Census, to Which Only Half of New Yorkers Have Responded

Without a complete count, New York will lose billions for schools, hospitals, and transit, as well as two congressional seats amidst the worst economic crisis in a century

NEW YORK, NY - In order to stave off the potential loss of billions in federal aid for critical programs as well as the loss of up to two congressional seats in the midst of the worst economic crisis in a century, New York City is launching the #GetCountedNYC Census Week of Action to mobilize all households to respond to the census in New York City, which has just a 53.8% self-response rate as of July 24. 

From July 27 - August 2, NYC Census 2020 and our partners are planning a week of activities citywide to mobilize New Yorkers to self-respond to the 2020 Census. 500 New Yorkers have already signed up to volunteer and New Yorkers can continue to join the effort at nyc.gov/censusweek.

The Census Week of Action is timed to significantly increase New York City’s self-response rate immediately prior to the launch of the U.S. Census Bureau’s door-to-door enumeration, which has historically proven to be deeply flawed and unreliable in New York City. 

The census determines the equitable distribution of $1.5 trillion in federal funds annually for education, healthcare, housing, transportation, infrastructure, and more, in addition to determining the number of seats each state is allotted in the House of Representatives, as well as the shape and size of local and state legislative districts. 

#GetCounted Census Week of Action Public Events:

Monday, July 27:

10:00 AM: Social Media Day of Action: 

  • NYC Census 2020 and partners will share content from six campaigns, including a new “Get Out the Count” campaign and a new video from NYC Census 2020 and BRIC entitled “Quarantine Dreams,” which features New Yorkers describing their dreams for a post COVID-19 recovery and how the census is crucial to rebuilding the city after COVID. 

  • Partners will be able to share campaigns in 20+ languages. 

11:00 AM: Chinatown Press Conference: Manhattan Borough President Brewer, NYC Census 2020, F.Y. Eye, Chinatown Partnership, Wonton Food Launch Census Fortune Cookie Campaign 

  • What: Press conference to launch census messages in fortune cookies campaign and to mobilize response among NYC’s Chinese-American communities.

  • Who: NYC Census 2020: Director Julie Menin, Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer, Nina Robbins, F.Y. Eye Media, Wellington Chen, Chinatown Partnership, Wonton Food, additional community partners

  • Where: In front of the Church of the Transfiguration: 25 Mott Street (b/t Mosco and Pell)

  • Contacts:

11:00 AM: Southeast Queens Press Conference and Caravan: Queens Borough President Lee, NYC Census 2020, Council Members Adams and Koslowitz, Assembly Member Weprin, Chhaya CDC Mobilize Response

Several neighborhoods in Southeast Queens, including Richmond Hill, Ozone Park, South Ozone Park, Hillside, and Jamaica have among the City’s lowest self-response rates, ranging from 40 to 43 percent.

  • What: Press conference followed by a caravan will circle Phil “Scooter” Rizzuto Park to build census awareness. Remarks to also be provided in Punjabi, Hindi, and Spanish.

  • Who: NYC Census 2020: Deputy Director Amit Singh Bagga, Queens Borough President Sharon Lee, Council Members Adrienne Adams and Karen Koslowitz, Assembly Member David I. Weprin, U.S. Census Bureau Regional Director Jeff Behler, Annetta Seecharan, Executive Director, Chhaya CDC, additional community partners

  • Where: Phil “Scooter” Rizzuto Park (formerly Smokey Oval), 95th Avenue and 127th Street, Richmond Hill, Queens

  • Contacts:

Tuesday, July 28: 

All day: Partner-led community events will occur throughout the city, with an emphasis on historically undercounted communities. 

3:00 PM: Emerson Hill, Staten Island: NYC Census 2020 Conducts In-Person Census Completion and Emergency Food Distribution
Location: Christian Pentecostal Church: 910 Richmond Road (b/t Spring and Ralph), Emerson Hill, Staten Island
Contact: Aaron Ghitelman, aghitelman@census.nyc.gov, (718) 938 - 5325 / Sona Rai, srai@census.nyc.gov, (585) 530 - 7484 

Overview of July 29 - August 2, 2020

Wednesday, July 29: 

ALL DAY: Citywide Visibility Day of Action I: In-person outreach at transit hubs, parks, playgrounds, small business corridors, and other key public areas in areas with historically low self-response rates. PPE will be provided. NYC Census 2020 will be joined by approximately 160 volunteers throughout the Visibility Days of Action.

8:00 AM - 9:30 AM: Brownsville / East New York Census Lit Distribution:  NYC Census 2020 Field Director Kathleen Daniel will lead a team in distributing census educational materials to commuters.
Location: Sutter Avenue- Rutland Road Subway, located at the intersection of Sutter Avenue, Rutland Road, and East 98th Street in Brownsville, Brooklyn
Contact: Aaron Ghitelman, aghitelman@census.nyc.gov, (718) 938 - 5325, Sona Rai, srai@census.nyc.gov, (585) 530 - 7484

11:00 AM: Bed-Stuy / Crown Heights / Fulton Street Outreach: NYC Census 2020 Director Julie Menin and NYC Census 2020 Field Director Kathleen Daniel will lead a team in street canvassing and providing census assistance to Bed-Stuy residents.
Location: Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corp/Restoration Plaza, 1368 Fulton Street
Contact: Aaron Ghitelman, aghitelman@census.nyc.gov, (718) 938 - 5325, Sona Rai, srai@census.nyc.gov, (585) 530 - 7484 

Noon: Williamsbridge, Wakefield: Outreach: Famod Konneh, Deputy Director of Outreach,  and a team from NYC Census 2020 will canvass businesses on White Plains Road and Gun Hill Road, distribute census educational materials, and provide census form assistance.
Location: Corner of White Plains Road and Gun Hill Road, The Bronx 
Contact: Aaron Ghitelman, aghitelman@census.nyc.gov, (718) 938 - 5325, Sona Rai, srai@census.nyc.gov, (585) 530 - 7484 

5:30 PM - 6:30: Virtual Town Hall: Director Julie Menin of NYC Census 2020 in conversation with RUSA LGBT, a network for Russian-speaking LGBTQ immigrants. Russian language interpretation will be provided
Location: Zoom link, which will be provided on https://www.facebook.com/RUSA.LGBT
Contact: Aaron Ghitelman, aghitelman@census.nyc.gov, (718) 938 - 5325, Sona Rai, srai@census.nyc.gov, (585) 530 - 7484 

Thursday, July 30:

ALL DAY: “Friends and Family” Day: Over 150 volunteers have committed to call or text 10 family members or friends to remind them to complete the census.

5:00 - 7:00 PM: Diversity Plaza, Jackson Heights Outreach: Adhikaar will conduct census outreach and census form assistance in a variety of languages, including Nepali.
Location: 37th Road between 73rd and 74th Street, Queens 
Contact: Aaron Ghitelman, aghitelman@census.nyc.gov, (718) 938 - 5325, Sona Rai, srai@census.nyc.gov, (585) 530 - 7484 

5:00 PM: Mariner’s Harbor, Staten Island Census assistance and food outreach: NYC Census 2020 and partners will conduct census outreach alongside food distribution. 
Location: Christ Abundant Life Ministeries: 121 Grandview Avenue 
Contact: Aaron Ghitelman, aghitelman@census.nyc.gov, (718) 938 - 5325, Sona Rai, srai@census.nyc.gov, (585) 530 - 7484 

Additional events in Brooklyn and Queens will be announced shortly. 

Friday, July 31: 

ALL DAY: “Text Out the Count”: Over 300 volunteers will join NYC Census 2020 Citywide "Text Out the Count" digital organizing operation using the peer-to-peer texting service Hustle, focused on raising awareness about the importance of completing the 2020 Census online or via phone.

4:00 - 6:00 PM: Corona Food Distribution and Census Assistance: Adhikaar and Lions Club of Queens Nepalese will distribute food and assist New Yorkers with census completion. 
Location: Intersection of 97th street and 57th Avenue (Queens)
Contact: Aaron Ghitelman, aghitelman@census.nyc.gov, (718) 938 - 5325, Sona Rai, srai@census.nyc.gov, (585) 530 - 7484 

Additional events will be announced shortly. 

Saturday, August 1: 

ALL DAY: Citywide Visibility Day of Action II: In-person outreach at transit hubs, parks, playgrounds, small business corridors, and other key public areas in areas with historically low self-response rates. PPE will be provided. NYC Census 2020 will be joined by approximately 160 volunteers throughout the Visibility Days of Action.

Additional events for August 1 and 2 will be announced shortly.  

About NYC Census 2020 

NYC Census 2020 is a first-of-its-kind organizing initiative established by Mayor de Blasio in January 2019 to ensure a complete and accurate count of all New Yorkers in the 2020 Census. The $40 million program is built on four pillars: (1) a $19 million community-based awards program, The New York City Complete Count Fund, empowering 157 community-based organizations to engage historically undercounted communities around the 2020 Census; (2) an in-house "Get Out the Count" field campaign supported by the smart use of cutting-edge data and organizing technology, and a volunteer organizing program to promote a complete count in each of the city's 245 neighborhoods; (3) an innovative, multilingual, tailored messaging and marketing campaign, including a $3 million commitment to investing in community and ethnic media to reach every New York City community; as well as (4) an in-depth Agency and Partnerships engagement plan that seeks to leverage the power of the City's 350,000-strong workforce and the city's major institutions, including libraries, hospitals, faith-based communities, cultural institutions, higher educational institutions, and more, to communicate with New Yorkers about the critical importance of census participation. Through close partnerships with trusted leaders and organizations across the five boroughs, this unprecedented campaign represents the largest municipal investment in census organizing nationwide and will build an enduring structure that empowers New Yorkers to remain civically engaged.