A committee dedicated to making sure Del Norte County is counted accurately in the 2020 Census will hold its first meeting at College of the Redwoods’ Crescent City campus Thursday.

Humboldt State University’s California Center for Rural Policy is in the process of forming a Complete Count Committee for Del Norte County, according to Executive Director Connie Stewart.

Smith.

This committee consists of volunteers dedicated to increasing awareness of the Census and encouraging residents to participate in the 10-year count, according to CCRP program coordinator Alannah J. Smith.

The state of California has allocated funding to each county to conduct outreach efforts to 14 identified hard-to-reach populations, Stewart said. These groups include Latinos, African Americans, Native Americans and tribal communities, immigrants and refugees, farm workers, people with disabilities, seniors, homeless individuals and families, children ages 0-5, veterans, and residents living in areas with low broadband subscription rates or limited to no access.

The state also identifies households with limited English proficiency as hard to reach, according to CCRP. On Thursday, the Del Norte Complete Count Committee will discuss how to reach out to these groups and identify others that are hard to reach. The committee will also discuss who should be included in a steering committee that will create and help implement an outreach plan as well as the financial resources that are available, according to the agenda.

“Accurate census response rates are vitally important to successfully obtain accurate representation and needed funding through the allocation of grants for federal programs,” Smith said in an individual to potential local stakeholders on Tuesday.

According to the meeting agenda, United Way of the Wine Country is awarding grants for local organizations working with undeserved populations. Grants range from $3,000 to $20,000 and will be awarded to organizations working to increase response to the Census in Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Sonoma and Trinity counties.

The Del Norte Complete Count Committee will meet from 10 a.m.-noon Thursday in room 34 at College of the Redwoods Del Norte Education Center, 883 W. Washington Boulevard in Crescent City.

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