As the 2020 census approaches, Illinois Tech is proud to support city, state, and national officials in their effort to increase participation in this year’s critical census.

This once-a-decade survey will help determine how the federal government distributes more than $400 billion to state and local governments, in addition to affecting Illinois’s representation in the United States Congress.

In anticipation of the national Census Day on April 1, 2020, we encourage all members of the Illinois Tech community, particularly students, to participate in this year’s vital survey.

For those looking to be more involved, there are local nonprofits working through established networks to complement the on-going effort of the U.S. Census Bureau to encourage participation among historically “hard-to-count” populations—such as the African-American, Asian, Latino, immigrant, children, and non-English speaking communities—who may be at risk for undercounting. Nearly half of Chicago’s 2.7 million residents are considered “hard-to-count” by the Census Bureau. Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot has announced a strategic initiative to distribute $500,000 in funding for community-based organizations to assist in educating and engaging residents throughout the city.

To learn more about the city’s 2020 census efforts and how you can get involved as members of the Illinois Tech community, please visit census2020.chicago.gov to find up-to-date information on how to participate in the census, city resources helping to ensure a full count, and what’s at stake for next year’s count.