MATTAPOISETT— The League of Women Voters Southcoast has been selected for a grant of  $1,850 for the upcoming 2020 Census. The goal is to develop a plan, partnering with Librarians and Town Clerks on the South Coast, to reach out to historically underserved and hard-to-count populations to achieve a complete count for the 2020 Census. 

A systematic outreach program to reach the hard to count population will be implemented using the media, mailings, canvassing, phone banking and public forums, said Kristen Eastman, spokeswoman for the league. The hard to count populations include the homeless, households with limited to no English, immigrant communities, individuals with difficulty accessing the internet or otherwise completing the form and formerly incarcerated persons and persons with disabilities.

The purpose of the Decennial Census is to conduct a census of the population and housing and disseminate the results to the President, the States, and the general public. The Census is mandated by Article 1, Section 2 of the United States Constitution.

Luana Jøsvold of The League of Women Voters Southcoast  noted Congressional and state legislative districts, school districts and voting  precincts are drawn from Decennial Census results as is enforcing voting rights and civil rights legislation and distributing federal dollars to states.                                                                        

The Census Division received over one hundred and fifty applications. “We hope that this grant will help you to achieve your Complete Count Grant Application goals in the 2020 Census” said, Paul McCarthy, Chief Financial Officer at the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.

To volunteer and help the league deliver written materials to community access points, help with mailings and assist people to fill out census forms at local libraries or translate for those with limited English skills, please contact Luana Jøsvold at 508-758-7849 or Kristen Eastman at 508-758-6051.