MACON, Ga. — Schools, head start programs, and some medical clinics are just a few of the places that depend on federal money, and to get that money, communities depend on people filling out the census and getting counted.
Places like Compass Pharmacy on Emery Highway in Macon and people like patient care coordinator Lautrice Pugh depend a lot on federal money.
"This time of year, it starts to be a struggle. We usually have enough money to help people in the community to help people for six months, maybe seven months, and now I'm struggling to find as much funding as I can to help these people get their medications and I don't want to turn anyone away. You want them to get the care they need," says Pugh.
That care costs money. Every 10 years, the government uses a formula based on census information to decide how much money a community receives.
The more people who complete the census, the more federal money comes in.
So far in Macon-Bibb County, just over 49 percent of households have filled out a census form.
"That is horrible for what it means for resources for our community," says
Sheknita Davis, lead representative for the Urban Complete Count Committee.
Davis says it's never easy getting folks to fill out the census, and the pandemic has made this year even harder, but she wants everyone to know this.
"The information that we provide through the census is 100 percent secure. It hurts you more not to participate in the census than the risk of participating and answering 10 questions about your household.
"There are different ways you can fill out the census. You can fill it out online on the Census 2020 website, call 844-330-2020, or fill out the card you received in the mail.