On Thursday, September 10, beginning at 6:00 p.m., Lieutenant Governor Bethany Hall-Long, Newark Mayor Jerry Clifton, members of City Council and representatives from the US Census Bureau will host a driving census caravan to remind residents to participate in the 2020 Census. The caravan will drive through both residential and university-centered neighborhoods which are historically under-counted. These areas are reporting response rates lower than the previous average.
The caravan is a part of a statewide outreach campaign in conjunction with the Delaware State Complete Count Commission chaired by the Lieutenant Governor. The intent is to get census information out to residents in their neighborhoods, places of service and through trusted messengers. This caravan is intended to remind these neighborhoods that they count in the 2020 Census and it’s not too late to complete the questionnaire.
Similar caravans are being scheduled nationwide as a method of in-person community outreach that doesn’t violate social distancing guidance. The Census takes an average of 5-10 minutes to complete electronically, which prevents Census workers from going door-to-door during the coronavirus pandemic.
Members of the community are invited and welcome to participate in the caravan. Participants will meet and line up at the City of Newark Municipal Building at 220 S. Main St at 5:30 p.m. The route will travel through the city’s main corridors along Main Street and Delaware Avenue. The Newark Police Department will provide an escort and everyone will remain in their vehicles for the duration of the caravan.
The deadline to complete the census is Wednesday, September 30. Call 1.844.330.2020 or visit my2020census.gov to access the questionnaire. Answers are confidential and the results help direct billions of dollars in federal funds to local communities for schools, roads and other public services.
For more information about the caravan, please contact Jayme Gravell at JGravell@newark.de.us. For questions regarding the Census, please contact Rmanda Chapman at Rmanda.D.Chapman@2020census.gov.