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Newark Kids Count Digital Release

Posted on March 18, 2020

With the 2020 Census in full swing and Brick City topping the list of hard-to-count places in the nation, Newark must overcome a unique set of challenges to ensure a complete count, according to the 2020 Newark Kids Count report. The release of the report coincides with Count All Kids Day, a national campaign to highlight the need to count all children in the Census. Children under age 5 are at highest risk of being undercounted.

Ways to Advocate for the Census From Home

Posted on March 18, 2020

The COVID-19 virus (“Coronavirus”) has altered the way we go about our daily lives, but fortunately, Census questionnaires can be filled out at my2020census.gov, over the phone or by mail. An accurate Census count helps inform and fund many safety net programs that are being utilized during the pandemic. We are experiencing a live example of why an accurate count is so important. Fortunately, we can practice social distancing and self-quarantining while also ensuring an accurate count for the State of New Jersey. It takes just ten minutes to make sure New Jersey gets its fair share of resources for the next decade.

Help us spread the word about the importance of filling out the 2020 Census, all possible from the comforts of your home:

  1. Join Count All Kids Day! Children under age 5 are among the hardest-to-count populations for the Census. March 18th is Count All Kids Day! Make sure you count your children this year, and let others know that they should count their kids too. Share a video or photo of your child using Statistics in Schools material, and use the hashtag #CountAllKids
  2. Share a photo of everyone who was counted in your Census! Fill out your Census, tell your social media friends, and tell them to fill theirs out too. Take a #CensusSelfie of everyone who was counted, and use our Census frame available on Facebook to tell the world that you count. Make sure to use the hashtag #Census2020NJ
  3. Spread the knowledge – share our webinar. ACNJ Kids Count Coordinator and Census Ambassador Alana Vega held a webinar instructing advocates how to spread the word about the Census. Watch the video, and tell others about it. Don’t have the time to watch? View our seven-minute synopsis here.

Pass the Federal Emergency COVID-19 Response

Posted on March 16, 2020

As our country struggles to deal with the impact of the COVID-19 (“Coronavirus”) pandemic, Congress must take swift action to ensure families have what they need to care for their young children. The Families First Coronavirus Response (“Families First”) Act, currently waiting for a ruling by the U.S. Senate, will provide families:

  • Increased funding for medical assistance for the duration of the pandemic;
  • Increased funding for Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to fight food insecurities as families lose wages and children lose access to free or reduced-price meals in schools and child care;
  • Emergency paid sick days and paid leave; and
  • Extended federal funding for unemployment compensation.

Read more about this important piece of legislation, and ways that you can help it pass.

ACNJ Census Webinar: What You Need to Know

Posted on March 13, 2020

On Friday, March 13th, ACNJ Kids Count Coordinator Alana Vega educated webinar participants about the 2020 Census – what an accurate count means for the State of New Jersey, the consequences of an undercount, and how advocates can help ensure that everyone in the Garden State is counted.