Everyone Counts in Polk County

Print This Post


Matt Foster, Cedartown City commissioner, said, ‘You can complete [the census] before your coffee gets cold.’”

Earlier this year, Polk County’s Complete Count Committee established a strategy to promote Census 2020 centered on face-to-face interactions at festivals, churches, ball games, preschool registrations, and other community events with giveaways like T-shirts, tote bags, cups, and coloring books. Then COVID-19 crushed those plans.

“When the pandemic hit and restrictions were put into place, we paused and focused on our own issues and day-to-day responsibilities,” said Rhonda Heuer, executive director of Polk Family Connection, who chairs the Complete Count Committee. “Once the initial upheaval settled, we regrouped and reimagined our plans. Of course, in hindsight, I wish we had printed our message on hand sanitizer.”

The committee—which includes county and city representatives, public health officials, local media, parents, and leaders from local schools, libraries, and churches—brainstormed new ways to promote the census, particularly in hard-to-reach neighborhoods.

“Making sure the community embraces the census can prove challenging, especially during a pandemic,” said Blair Elrod, Polk County Chamber of Commerce executive director. “Polk Family Connection was a natural fit to lead the way, as it has already developed strong relationships in the community with a reputation for supporting families. Rhonda Heuer’s drive and experience enabled her to bring the right people to the table to develop strategies, establish goals, and make adjustments as we went along.”

The Collaborative shifted census outreach to social media, promoting a video contest to share how #EveryoneCountsinPolk and why the census matters. Partners shared messages on Facebook, websites, and outdoor signage, and the county’s newspaper helped spread the word in print and online.

 

The Georgia Family Connection Collaborative led efforts to incorporate census promotion into pandemic relief efforts of local nonprofits and agencies that had closed their doors temporarily but were still providing support to families through scheduled donation pickups and drop-offs. The promotional items intended for big community events were distributed at school meal distribution sites, food banks, and the local pregnancy center. One hundred yard signs were placed in hard-to-reach regions, and flyers were posted in polling places during elections.

“Each local government and entity involved had a different demographic in our outreach area. We collaborated so we didn’t duplicate resources,” said Stacey Smith, Rockmart director of Community Development. “When I look back on the Census 2020 process, what stands out is the kindness from other communities and organizations in our county. A city commissioner from the other side of the county delivered signs to the City of Rockmart during our shutdown. Everyone partnered.”

As in-person services reopened, the committee promoted the census through the Head Start’s summer reading program and Polk County Health Department’s WIC and immunization programs. On a bulletin board with a county map, kids place a pin where they live as a reminder to their parents to “make their mark” by completing the census form.

“We’ve refocused, in the past few months, on promoting the ease of completing the census by phone,” said Heuer. “We encourage case managers who are seeing families in person to share the census phone number and get them to call while they wait on services. As one of our city commissioners said, ‘You can complete it before your coffee gets cold.’”

Georgia is ranked 49th in the nation for census completion, as 20.7% of Georgians have still not responded and only 41 of Georgia’s counties are meeting their 2010 rate. The completion rate in Polk County is 48.9%, and the Complete Count Committee is determined to reach at least 50% despite an array of barriers.

“We have a high Hispanic population and they, from our discussions, are reluctant to complete anything from the government,” said Heuer. “We also have huge gaps in internet access, so many people don’t have the luxury of completing the census online. And older residents are often isolated and unaware of the critical need for a complete count.”

To address the internet access issue, the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission will park a bus equipped with 12 computers available for people to complete the census with masks and distancing at the Rockmart High School football game on Sept. 11.

“In this time of outside-the-box thinking in all aspects of our lives, we’ve tried to think about where people are still seeking information, continuing to plug along, and keeping the census on people’s minds at every opportunity,” said Heuer. “Also, in this time of isolation and reduced resource availability, the census takers are an essential resource for recognizing issues within homes and neighborhoods.”

Complete the census form online at 2020Census.gov. You can also respond over the phone in your preferred language, and there’s a TDD number for the deaf and hard of hearing. Or you can respond by mailing in a paper form if you received one.

 

Contact:
Krystin Dean
GaFCP Communications Specialist
krystin@gafcp.org

Follow us on Twitter: @gafcpnews

Connect with us on Facebook.

Georgia Family Connection Partnership (GaFCP) is a public-private partnership created by the State of Georgia and investors from the private sector to assist communities in addressing the serious challenges facing children and families. GaFCP also serves as a resource to state agencies across Georgia that work to improve the conditions of children and families. Georgia KIDS COUNT provides policymakers and citizens with current data they need to make informed decisions regarding priorities, services, and resources that impact Georgia’s children, youth, families, and communities.