Birmingham Counts! Banner Promotes 2020 Census Response

By Jim Murray | Business, Science and Technology Department, Central Library 

Those traveling north on Richard Arrington Blvd. in downtown Birmingham will be greeted for the next few months with a special hanging banner bearing a special message. The banner is promoting the Birmingham Public Library’s Birmingham Counts! campaign and the message is for all Birmingham residents to complete the 2020 Census questionnaire. The prominent location of the banner on the library’s crosswalk and its clear visibility from the street serve to dramatically emphasize and reinforce the importance of the message.

Since January, the Birmingham Public Library has been involved in an effort to get a maximum resident response to the 2020 Census through our Birmingham Counts! campaign. Partners in our campaign include the City of Birmingham Mayor’s Office, the Division of Youth Services, the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District, the Jefferson County Library Cooperative, The Dannon Project, The Literacy Council of Central Alabama, the McCoy Adult Day Care Center, One Roof , and Greater Birmingham Ministries.

Why is it important for all residents in Birmingham to respond to the 2020 Census? A higher response rate helps to insure that fewer residents are missed or counted inaccurately. A complete and accurate count of the local population has direct bearing on our collective civic, political, and economic health. For example, each state's representation in the U.S. House of Representatives is determined by population figures derived from the Census, and Alabama is in danger of losing a congressional seat due to slowed growth. U.S. government funding for important programs and services in Alabama, and Birmingham, is also at stake. A recently updated report from George Washington University reveals that our state receives over $22 billion in federal dollars based on demographic data derived from the Census. A less than maximum response to the Census questionnaire would have a negative impact on this vital funding for our health care resources, emergency response services, schools and educational programs, road and bridge construction, public transportation, housing assistance, and a variety of community development initiatives.

Let’s be counted this year and thereby do all we can to help our city thrive in the coming decade. Please visit the Birmingham Counts! webpage and take a few minutes to complete the 2020 Census questionnaire. You can also complete the questionnaire over the phone with the assistance of a U.S. Census Bureau representative. Assistance is available every day of the week between the hours of 6:00 a.m. and 1:00 a.m. CST. The phone number for assistance in English is (844) 330-2020. For Spanish language assistance, call (844) 468-2020.