Global Influence, 2010 Census and YOU: Why Children Matter

Another year, another census and most feel "so what?"  Many year's ago, I worked as a Census team leader and understand the importance of being counted and for everyone else to be counted to include children.  The Census is used for an array of programs that directly and indirectly affects all of us.  Given that, Global Influence has teamed up with 2010 Census and bloggers to get the word out on the importance of accurate reporting for accurate counting.

Children Count

It has been reported that children have been under reported in every census starting back to the first one in 1790.  I know I have used the Census data in my hunt for family history to help write my historical novel.

What you may not realize is:

Census counts are used, in whole or in part, for more than 140 programs that distribute more than $400 billion of federal funds to states and localities, including such child-focused programs as:

• Special Education Grants to states ($10.8 billion)
• Head Start ($6.9 billion)
• State Children's Health Insurance Program ($5.9 billion)
• Foster Care Title IV-E ($4.7 billion)
• Improving Teacher Quality State Grants ($2.9 billion)

Also, featuring Dora the Explorer, the popular children's cartoon character, the Census Bureau has teamed up with Nickelodeon to create a toolkit with resources to help you spread the word. Please visit http://2010.census.gov/partners/toolkits/toolkits-dora.php to download the children's fact sheet and web buttons.

When it's time for you to be counted, please report everyone and spread the word as it's so vital to your community.