City Council Looks For Ways To Reach Out To People For Census

Officials plan to ramp up outreach to hard-to-count segments of Dubuque’s population as COVID-19 concerns have forced leaders to modify plans to encourage participation in the 2020 Census. City Council members tonight will meet virtually to consider approval of a $5,000 grant from National League of Cities. The money would be used to pay for promotion, marketing and outreach to Hispanic, and other non-English-speaking, minority and low-income residents. That includes producing ads about the census in three languages, along with stickers that can be attached to free grab-and-go meals being distributed to children and youth impacted by the closure of local schools. The U.S. Census Bureau last week extended the deadline for completing the 2020 Census in response to COVID-19 safety concerns. Residents now have until Oct. 31 to respond online, by phone or by mail.