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Lancaster, Reading mayors team up for last census push with Census Emergency Day

As of Sept. 23, Lancaster City’s southeast had a below-average census self-reporting rate of 53%. (Source: U.S. Census)

As of Sept. 23, Lancaster City's southeast had a below-average census self-reporting rate of 53%. (Source: U.S. Census)
As of Sept. 23, Lancaster City's southeast had a below-average census self-reporting rate of 53%. (Source: U.S. Census)

In a final effort to ensure an accurate census count, Lancaster Mayor Danene Sorace and Reading Mayor Eddie Moran are declaring Friday, Sept. 25, Census Emergency Day.

The census count comes to a close just a few days later, on Sept. 30.

“An accurate 2020 Census count is crucial for Lancaster City and other Pennsylvania communities to receive our fair share of federal funding and representation,” said Mayor Sorace. “A complete count is a top priority for the City of Lancaster.”

Sorace and Moran will host a joint “Live at Five” at 5 p.m. today, which will be broadcast on both the City of Lancaster’s Facebook page and the City of Reading’s Facebook page .

The mayors will discuss the impact of the 2020 Census on community planning, funding for infrastructure and representation in Congress. They’ll discuss what’s at stake and how local communities have experienced undercounting.

In Lancaster, a caravan including Mayor Sorace, the Lancaster Bureau of Fire, other City officials and The Cultured Professional Network will travel the city on Friday, making stops in historically undercounted census tracts as follows:

  • 1:00 p.m. - Fire Station 3 (333 E. King St.)
  • 1:30 p.m. - Saint Joseph’s Deli & Grocery (552-554 St. Joseph St.)
  • 2:10 p.m. - Price Elementary School
  • 2:45 p.m. - Nuestra Clinica (545 Pershing Ave.)
  • 3:20 p.m. - Crispus Attucks Community Center (407 Howard Ave.)

 

These locations will also host Census Bureau Mobile Questionnaire Assistance employees from 1 to 4 p.m.

In the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, census operations were delayed until August, with a deadline of Oct. 31 for in-person follow-up by enumerators to unresponsive households. At the end of July, that deadline was shortened to Sept. 30.

Residents who have not completed the 2020 Census yet can do so by going online to www.my2020census.gov, calling 844-330-2020 for English or 844-468-2020 for Spanish, or visiting www.2020census.gov/en/languages for 59 other languages.

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