Every 10 years, a count is made of all persons living in the United States called the Decennial Census.

Just as families and individual lives were being impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, so too was it impacting conducting the 2020 Census.  Mandated in the Constitution, data from the Decennial Census are used to determine the number of seats each state will have in the U.S. House of Representatives, to draw congressional and state legislative districts, to distribute federal funding, and are used as a basis for many other data including population estimates and the American Community Survey.   Because of the many restrictions and stay-at-home orders, 2020 Census field operations and data collection were greatly impacted as were data collection for college students since they left campuses across the state.

In response, I used several techniques to distribute information on the 2020 Census and provide updates on census data collection.  In addition to information releases which were carried in Extension’s Monday memo, I developed an activity for youth to engage with the 2020 Census which was featured on the front of an issue of the Health At Home Extension newsletter distributed across the state.  I also developed and presented a webinar with updates and information on the 2020 Census, how COVID-19 has impacted it, who are some of the hardest to count groups, and how to help get the word out that it’s not too late to respond to the 2020 Census.  In addition, I developed easy access to and help on using the online interactive website reporting up-to-date response rates at the state, county, tract, and town levels.  Since local residents could be working as Census takers as part of the 2020 Census field operations, regular updates were provided on the Kentucky: By The Numbers website.  As a result of these efforts, Extension agents across the state provided information on the 2020 Census through their social media platforms as well as in local newspapers.  In addition, agents expressed an interest in setting up a competition with groups within their county and with neighboring counties.